India-Iran Relations

Iran, India sign six pacts

TEHRAN, April 11, 2001: Iran and India signed six agreements on Wednesday to boost cooperation in the energy sector and other fields including trade and technology.

Visiting Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee made a speech to the Iranian parliament on Wednesday and also met President Mohammad Khatami.

The leaders said they had common viewpoints on regional issues, including the civil war in Afghanistan, and they called for a negotiated peace.

Iran's state television, which reported the signing of the bilateral agreements, did not say if the two sides had finalized plans to lay a pipeline to transfer Iranian gas to India.-Reuters

DAWN, June 24, 2002

Iran, India to discuss Kashmir issue

TEHRAN, June 24: Iran's national security chief Hassan Rowhani left Tehran for India on Monday for talks on bilateral security issues and also the Kashmir dispute.

During his trip, Rowhani, the secretary of Iran's national security council, will meet his Indian counterpart Brajesh Mishra as well as other high-ranking officials, including Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.

"Security cooperation between our two countries was launched one year ago, but the current sensitive circumstances require an expansion of this cooperation," Rowhani told reporters before his departure.

"(Iran) cannot remain indifferent towards the tension created between India and Pakistan because insecurity will affect border countries, including our country."

Last week, Rowhani said Tehran was "extremely worried" about the India-Pakistan conflict and warned against "fanning the flames of the tension".-AFP

India, Iran to expand S&T cooperation

NEW DELHI NOV 9, 2002. India and Iran today signed a joint statement expressing commitment to promote and expand scientific and technological cooperation between the two sides.

The statement was signed by Science and Technology Minister, Murli Manohar Joshi and the Iraninan Minister for Science, Research and Technology, Mostafa Moeen in Tehran.

Information and communication technology, energy, industrial technology, food technology and environment have been identified as the priority areas for cooperation, which is likely to give new thrust to the bilateral science cooperation, tardy over the past few years. The two sides agreed to promote exchange of scientific information and documentation including patents, licenses and know-how between them, according to an official release.

Convince India of pipeline viability, Pak. tells Iran

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD Dec. 22 . The Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, has urged Iran to draw India into a dialogue and convince it about the viability and safety of the proposed Iran-India gas pipeline via the land route of Pakistan.

In an interview to Iran's official news agency, IRNA, on the eve of the three-day visit of the Iranian President, Syed Mohammad Khatami, to Pakistan, Gen. Musharraf has argued that it was for Iran to convince New Delhi on the pipeline. "I think, it is only Iran that can convince the country to push through with the gas pipeline".

He felt that the mega pipeline project was viable and should materialise for the sake of the economic progress of the three countries of the region.

Welcoming his Iranian counterpart's visit, Gen. Musharraf said that Islamabad and Teheran need to coordinate efforts on the political and economic fronts, and Mr. Khatami's visit would help both sides to improve their coordination on issues of mutual interest.

To a question on Teheran-Islamabad commercial relations, he said, a great deal needs to be done on the trade front. Keeping in view the deep historical, cultural and religious relations, as well as the geographical linkages of the two countries, their economic interaction left much to be desired.

"Pakistan is keen on enhancing trade and commercial relations and during my last meeting with President Khatami, we discussed enhancement of economic interaction", he told the agency.

Gen. Musharraf said that Pakistan increased its oil imports from Iran from less than $100 million to $500 million. However, Iran had not reciprocated. "We talk about exports of our rice and wheat, so we need to resolve these things. I believe these can be resolved amicably".

He expected President Khatami's visit to be of immense help to develop a consensus on regional issues, especially on Afghanistan and Pakistan's concerns with respect to India. "There is a need for Iran's understanding of our sensitivities towards India. So, I feel this is the area where Iran needs to clearly understand our very acute sensitivities vis-a-vis India so that in its bilateral relations with New Delhi, this concern is kept in the forefront", he said.

Laying emphasis on coordination between the two sides on regional issues in particular, Gen. Musharraf said: "our efforts vis-a-vis Afghanistan's reconstruction should be coordinated. I don't see any clash in our perceptions as to what is happening in Afghanistan.

``We must not develop a competitive behaviour towards Afghanistan and economic benefits of reconstruction of the war-ravaged country can be shared very well between Iran and Pakistan." he told the agency.

Iran-India pipeline will benefit region: Khatami

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD Dec. 25. The Iranian President, Seyed Mohammad Khatami, has said that Iran considered the project for the transportation of natural gas to India through Pakistan as a symbol of Pak.-Iranian strategic economic ties.

Addressing businessmen from Iran and Pakistan at a luncheon hosted by the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) in Lahore, Dr. Khatami said: "This pipeline may be called the pipeline of peace and friendship in the region. The implementation of this project will certainly benefit all of the people of the region."

The Iranian President's observation assumes significance as the $4 billion project is pending for several years due to Indian reservations about the viability of the line through Pakistan, given the Indo-Pak. hostilities.

At a joint news conference with the Pakistan Prime Minister, Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali, here on Tuesday, Dr. Khatami had said that various security concerns of New Delhi were being addressed. "There is no problem between Iran and Pakistan to undertake the gas pipeline project but in this behalf there is a need to remove some of the security concerns of India.''

He said the pipeline was an economically-viable project that would benefit the three countries. "I have discussed this issue in detail with President Musharraf, and Prime Minister Jamali and I am happy to tell you that Pakistan and Iran are ready for this project.'' Dr. Khatami hoped that India too would be taken along to start the project as early as possible.

The Iranian President gave an impression that it was for Pakistan to remove the apprehensions on the feasibility the project.

Mr. Jamali said that Pakistan had already held out assurances for the security of the pipeline and maintained that his Government would continue extending cooperation to Iran over the issue.

Since the ouster of the then Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, in a military coup in October 1999 the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, has repeatedly sought to assure India about the safety of the pipeline but New Delhi does not appear convinced.

Pakistan sees enormous economic benefits from the pipeline in terms of annual royalty as well as cheaper gas.

In another development, Iran and Pakistan have decided to strengthen defence ties through exchange of high-level visits. Ali Shankali, Iranian Defence Minister, called on the Pakistan Defence Minister, Rao Sikandar Iqbal, and exchanged views on defence cooperation between the two sides.

An official statement said that delegations from both sides would visit each other's country to identify areas where they could benefit from each other's experience and expertise.

Out from India-Afghan trade

On January 5, 2003 night, Iranian Trade Minister Mohammad Shariatmadari, Afghan Trade Minister Mostafa Kazemi and Indian Minister of State for External Affairs Digvijay Singh signed two memorandums on cooperation in the spheres of trade, economy and transportation.

The documents provide for the increase in the level of trilateral cooperation in economic and transportation areas and also in the development of a joint trade policy and mutual investments.

The transportation aspect of both memorandums includes the construction of railways and establishing maritime routes.

The Iranian government promised to grant significant interest reductions on transportation charges for the goods delivered from the seaport of Chabakhar to Afghanistan, and to reduce the tariffs on the use of containers and other transport assets of this port.

The three countries also agreed to make all possible efforts to ensure the expansion of trade relations and to coordinate their actions in solving the problems that hinder the development of mutual economic ties. In addition they expressed the desire to organize international trade exhibitions.

Hindu Analysis: Jan 19, 2003

Iran has become an important factor in India's efforts to reorder the geopolitics of its troubled Western neighbourhood. New Delhi in the past was wary of the close relations between Iran and Pakistan.

Now India sees its expanding cooperation with Iran as an instrument that could help nudge Pakistan in the direction of political moderation and regional economic integration.

While Pakistan denies India overland access to Afghanistan and Central Asia, Iran is opening an alternative route. The early creation of such a transport corridor should hopefully convince Pakistan to move away from its negative approach to regional economic cooperation.

India to send wheat through Iran?

By Amit Baruah

TOKYO, JAN. 21. The Afghanistan interim administration chairman, Hamid Karzai, and the Disinvestment Minister, Arun Shourie, who represented the country at the meeting on the reconstruction assistance to Afghanistan here, discussed the possibility of sending one million tonnes of wheat to Afghanistan through Iran.

The issue possibly came up in the light of Islamabad's refusal to allow the wheat, under the World Food Programme (WFP), from India to Afghanistan via Pakistan. - Hindu

DAWN Jan 26, 2003

India, Iran to widen anti-terror cooperation

NEW DELHI, Jan 25: India and Iran on Saturday signed seven agreements, including a declaration slamming "double standards", in the global campaign against terrorism.

Both sides also repeated their common position that the crisis "relating to Iraq should be resolved peacefully under the auspices of the United Nations".

Iranian President Mohammed Khatami also told a joint press conference with Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee that Tehran was opposed to "hegemony and unilateralism", in another apparent swipe at US policy towards its neighbour, Baghdad.

The agreements were inked by officials accompanying Khatami, who is on a four-day official visit to India, after a day of talks between the Iranian leader and Indian officials.

According to the text of the Delhi Declaration, "all aspects of bilateral cooperation" are included in the agreements, ranging from economic exchanges to science and technology, infotech, educational training, the reconstruction of Afghanistan and terrorism.

Specific agreements signed also related to labour and social affairs, cultural exchange and urban water management.

On the issue of terrorism, the declaration said that states "which aid, abet and directly support terrorism should be condemned".

"India and Iran agree that the combat against international terrorism should not be based upon double standards," it said.

India has repeatedly accused the United States of double standards in dealing with Pakistan.

On Saturday, Vajpayee said the threat to global and regional security from terrorism was discussed with Khatami.

"We agreed to widen our cooperation against terrorism in bilateral and multilateral fora. We will work to strengthen the international legal regime against terrorism," he said.

Both countries also resolved to work for an early finalization of a "comprehensive convention against international terrorism" at the United Nations, a statement said.

The Delhi Declaration also states that India and Iran "agreed to explore opportunities for cooperation in defence ... including training and exchange of visits". This cooperation was "not aimed at any third country", it stated.

Vajpayee said India and Iran had agreed that a "mutually acceptable and stable arrangement for the transportation of gas" needed to be found. "Iran has gas and we want it," Vajpayee said. "But there are some impediments in the middle which we are trying to remove. We are working towards a mutually satisfactory agreement which will be long lasting," he added without elaborating.

Discussions on the construction of a 3.5-billion-dollar gas pipeline for the transport of gas from Iran to India began in 1994, but a breakthrough has been elusive due to tensions between Pakistan and India, as well as the cost of the project.-AFP

Feb 11, 2003

Pakistan PM Jamali to visit Iran on Feb. 15: Information Minister

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali is to begin a three-day visit to Iran over the weekend for talks with Iranian leaders on bilateral cooperation, Iraq and a proposed trans-Pakistan gas pipeline project, Pakistan's information minister said Tuesday.

During the visit, beginning Feb. 15, Jamali is to hold talks with President Mohammed Khatami and other senior Iranian officials, Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed told The Associated Press.

Talks between the two countries are to focus on cooperation in economy, science and technology, investment and the international situation, including Iraq.

"We have good, trustworthy relations with Iran," Ahmed said.

The two sides are also to discuss a gas pipeline that Iran and India propose to build across Pakistan. India wants to import Iranian gas but is weary of stretching a pipeline overland across Pakistan, with whom it shares a history of tense relations.

The project to build the pipeline over at least 700 kilometers (420 miles) of Pakistani territory, has made little progress in more than a decade.

Relations between Pakistan and Iran have eased somewhat over the past few months.

Khatami visited Pakistan in December, the first Iranian leader to visit Islamabad in eight years.

IRNA Feb 17, 2003

Pakistan says no dates fixed for Jamali Iran visit

Islamabad, Feb 17, IRNA -- Pakistan Monday said that no dates for Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali's visit to Iran were fixed and there is no question of the postponement of his visit.

Foreign Office spokesman, Mr. Aziz Ahmad Khan told reporters in Islamabad that dates for the Prime Minister's visit to Iran are still being worked out.

"How you can say that the Prime Minister's visit to Iran has been postponed when no dates were officially announced," Khan said, when a journalist at the weekly press briefing drew attention of the spokesman to reports that Mr. Jamali has postponed the visit.

Pakistan press had reported that Prime Minister Jamali would pay an official visit to Iran from February 15th. "Some time the host country proposes dates and some time the Prime Minister may be busy at home," Khan said.

He said the impression is not correct to say that the Prime Minister has postponed or cancelled the visit. He asked the media to consider Foreign Office announcement as official rather than press reports.

TK/MMZ/RR

End

Dawn, Feb 14, 2003

India, Iran hold talks on security issues

NEW DELHI, Feb 14: India and Iran have started talks to finalize an agreement on cooperation in dealing with terrorism, drug trafficking and security issues.

The discussions were held in Tehran last weekend between a five-member Indian delegation, led by Home Secretary N. Gopalaswami, the highest ranking bureaucrat in the home ministry, and an Iranian team led by his counterpart Ali Asghar Ahmadi, the Press Trust of India (PTI) said on Friday.

India suggested that the scope of the existing Joint Working Group (JWG) on narcotics trafficking be expanded to include terrorism and related issues, Gopalaswami said.

International terrorism figured prominently in talks between Indian leaders and Iranian President Mohammed Khatami during his three-day visit to India last month.

Mr Khatami was guest of honour at India's 54th Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi on Jan 26. The draft agreement also includes cooperation on police training and extradition.

Mr Gopalaswami said while extradition could be included in the agreement, a separate treaty would have to be signed to give it legal backing.

The Iranian delegation pointed out that their country had been a conduit for trafficking in narcotics produced in the poppy fields of Afghanistan and had lost 3,000 soldiers in the past decade fighting the drug mafia on its borders. They stressed the need to strengthen cooperation and exchange information with the Indian government on the issue.

Gopalaswami said the accord could be signed either during Iranian Interior Minister Abdul Wahid Mosavi Lari's official visit to New Delhi in the next few months or when Indian Foreign Minister Yashwant Sinha visits Tehran later this year.

During the three-day visit, the Indian delegation also called on Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Mohsen Aminzadeh. -AFP

DAWN Feb 20, 2003

Iran-India pipeline to bypass Pakistan

NEW DELHI, Feb 20: India will bypass Pakistan as it pursues a multi-billion-dollar gas pipeline project with Iran, Petroleum Minister Ram Naik said.

Mr Naik said the pipeline from Iran to India would bypass Pakistan by going through the sea. He said he would travel to Iran within three months to discuss the deal.

"We have not spoken to Pakistan on this and we are not going to talk to them," Naik told parliament.

"We have to buy from Iran; there is no proposal to get it overland. It can come through the sea route," he said.

Iranian President Mohammad Khatami pressed for progress on the pipeline deal during a visit to New Delhi last month. India imports most of the oil and gas required for its billion-plus population.

Discussions on the pipeline - estimated to cost 3.5 billion dollars - began in 1994, but progress has been slow due to tensions between Pakistan and India and the project's high price tag.

Mr Naik declined to set a timeline for the pipeline's completion, saying estimates were still being drafted in collaboration with Iranian officials. -AFP

Feb 23, 2002

Pakistan exptected to respond to Iran-India pact, says Jane's

Daily Times Monitor

LONDON: Pakistan was expected to respond to the signing of India's recent accord with Iran, which would allow India the use of Iranian military bases in the event of any outbreak of tensions with Pakistan, a report in Jane's defence weekly said on Thursday.

It said the pact had shifted the strategic balance in South Asia and looked 'very much like an encirclement of Pakistan by India'. Following the Iran-India pact 'pressure on Pakistan's defences would be almost overwhelming', the magazine said.

It said both India and Pakistan had been doing their best to attract the friendship of the United States since the beginning of the 'war on terrorism' in an effort to garner international support for their side of the Kashmir dispute.

The magazine said the US was seen as the only third party that could intervene to solve the Kashmir dispute.

"While Pakistan holds US President George W Bush's immediate attention, India seemed to be winning the long-term battle, at least until now," the magazine said.

India surprised both Pakistan and the US in the signing of its recent accord with Iran, it said and added the strategic agreement, 'which would allow India the use of Iranian military bases in the event of any outbreak of tensions with Pakistan, affects the future of the sub-continent'.

The revelation by India of the pact not only heightens tension in South Asia, but also leaves the US with a dilemma: how to react to India's alliance with Iran, which remains part of the US 'axis of evil', the magazine said.

It said the pact was signed a week before the visit of Iranian President Muhammad Khatami to India to join the celebrations for India's national day on 26 January. Signed in Tehran by the Indian naval chief and the Iranian minister of defence, the pact marks a complete turnaround by Iran, which used to be a close ally of Pakistan, Jane's said.

It said how the pact fitted in with India's defence relationship with Israel was unclear, 'but the threat that could pose to Pakistan is all too real'.

"The pressure on Pakistan's defences would be almost overwhelming. We expect Pakistan to respond. Much will depend on the reaction of the Bush administration," the defence weekly concluded.