Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif lauded India for siding with Iran that is facing foreign sanctions, saying there are ample opportunities for closer cooperation between the two countries in various fields.
According to Tasnim dispatches, in an address to an Iran-India joint economic meeting here on Tuesday, Zarif said the anti-Iran sanctions are not new and have been in place for the past 40 years.
“We will survive and keep cooperating with our friends,” the Iranian minister stressed.
He then praised India for standing with the Islamic Republic in tough times, saying such companionship will go on in better times as well.
“Iran is the most reliable partner,” Zarif said, adding that Iran’s openness to interaction with the East and other parties gives India an option of picking partners without political coercion.
Also addressing the meeting was the home affairs minister of India who said his country considers Iran not just as a trade partner, but a neighbor with which it has security cooperation.
The Indian minister also said that there are various opportunities for economic cooperation between Tehran and New Delhi.
Heading a business and diplomatic delegation, Zarif arrived in India on Monday.
In his three-day visit, the top Iranian diplomat will hold meetings with top Indian officials, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and deliver a speech to a multilateral conference dubbed the Raisina Dialogue.
