Salehi Calls For Iran-India Joint Investment

Tehran, May 5, IRNA – Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said on Saturday that abundant commonalties of Iran and India serve as a solid cornerstone for joint investment. Speaking to his Indian Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid on the eve of the 17th Iran-India Joint Economic Commission session, Salehi said Iran-India relations date back to thousands of years ago. He called for joint investments to be made by Iran and India in light of cultural affinity, common language and history of the two Iranian and Indian nations. Salehi expressed pleasure with visit of the Indian foreign minister Khurshid to Tehran. Salehi said that the foreign ministerˈs visit ˈcan serve as a new phase in bilateral relations. Salehi said Iran and India have always had warm relations and nothing can block their expansion. The foreign minister said Iran is ready to expand cooperation with India in the fields of economy, trade, agriculture, industry, telecommunications and education on bilateral, multilateral and regional levels. Khurshid for his part said his country is willing to expand economic cooperation with Iran. ˈWe are determined to explore and use all capacities for economic cooperation and that Tehran-New Delhi joint economic commission is of high importance for preparation of the ground, removal of impediments and follow up the agreements already reached,ˈ said Khurshid. He called for more contacts between their private sectors to develop economic cooperation as well as academic and educational cooperation. The two foreign ministers highlighted significance of mutual cooperation in the field of transport, especially cargo transit in Chabahar to Afghanistan, North-South corridor, energy and consular services. The crisis in Syria and Afghanistan were other topics discussed by the two foreign ministers./end