Indian Expert: Rouhani, Most Promising For Resolution Of Iran’s N-issue

New Delhi, Aug 11, IRNA –A senior Indian journalist believes that the new president of Iran Hassan Rouhani is the most promising for the resolution of Iran’s nuclear issue with the West and easing the economic sanctions imposed on the Islamic Republic. In an exclusive interview with IRNA in New Delhi, Miss Arti Bali, the Sr. international affairs correspondent of the Sahara India Media, said, Irans new president Mr. Hasan Rouhani is considered as the most promising one for the resolution of Iran’s nuclear dispute with the West in view of his role as the country’s former nuclear negotiator when he succeeded in halting Uranium enrichment in 2004 while upholding Iran’s right to peaceful use of the nuclear energy under the Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT). “Rouhani enjoys lot of trust with the West and that can be helpful at this juncture when the US is giving a new direction to its foreign policy aimed at normalizing the situation in the Mid-East and the South Asia”. She added. To a question on the possibility of an improvement in the relations between Iran and the US during the tenure of Mr. Rouhani in office, Miss Arti Bali said: “Relations between Iran and the West are most likely to improve as Hassan Rouhani is a moderate one and it was for the first time that the world leaders from 45 countries attended the inauguration of an Iranian president and this gives a hope that Rohani will succeed in easing the economic and banking sanctions imposed on Iran. On the convergence of interests between the US and Iran, she said, Washington’s policy of building a lasting stability in Afghanistan after the troops withdrawal from the war-torn county in 2014 and Iran’s approach for easing of the economic and banking sanctions to deal with its economic problems may provide a win-win situation for the negotiations between Iran and the West to succeed especially when President Rouhani carries a reputation for trust. “It may also provide an opportunity for the normalization of the Indo-Pakistan relations in the context of India, Pakistan and Iran relations with the overall Washington’s vision to check the China’s growing clout in the Central Asia, she added. On the possibility of India playing a role in easing the tension between Tehran and Washington as any conflict in the Persian Gulf would be disastrous for New Delhi given the region’s vital role in India’s energy security, she said, It is rather in India’s own interest to help Iran resolve its nuclear issue with Washington. It may be the all more essential as India is an important energy importer from Iran. Again Iran provides India a vital route to the central Asia. Terming Iran as an establizing factor in the region, Miss Arti Bali said, Iran, naturally, will also play an important role in normalizing and stabilizing the situation in Afghanistan especially after 2014 withdrawal of the NATO troops from Afghanistan. “A lot of projects like Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline which have not been able to be fruition so far may actually kick off if there is a thaw between Tehran and Washington./end