Raisi Urges Prioritizing Collective Security, Close Economic Ties between Iran and India

By Staff, Agencies

Iranian President-elect Sayyed Ebrahim Raisi highlighted the role of Iran and India as two influential regional players, saying collective security and broad economic cooperation are among the top priorities in ties between the two countries.

“Collective security with the participation of regional countries, including Iran and India as two important players in the region besides extensive economic interactions are among the important priorities in relations between the two countries,” Raisi said in a meeting Indian Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in Tehran on Wednesday.

He added that “stable and lasting” relations between Tehran and New Delhi, especially in the economic field, depended on regulating the bilateral ties in a manner that they would solely serve the two countries’ national interests.

Raisi said the US “maximum pressure” policy against Iran had failed, as acknowledged by the Americans themselves, and the Islamic Republic would continue down its path to progress vigorously.

The Indian foreign minister, for his part, said it was vital for Tehran and New Delhi, as two close regional partners, to work together to tackle different challenges.

Jaishankar handed over Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s message to Raisi and said the premier had expressed confidence that strong mutual relations would continue to grow under the next Iranian administration.

He also said Modi had officially invited the Iranian president-elect to pay a visit to New Delhi.

“Appreciate [Raisi’s] warm sentiments for India. Deeply value his strong commitment to strengthen our bilateral ties and expand cooperation on regional and global issues,” Jaishankar tweeted after his meeting.