Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will make a statement on the Iran nuclear issue in Parliament on Friday. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi told reporters that the statement would be made in Lok Sabha around 1500 hours and in Rajya Sabha around 1700 hours.
Dr Singh's statement would form the basis for the two Houses to discuss the Iran nuclear issue and the Indian vote in the International Atomic Energy Agency meeting over which the Left parties have attacked the government.
The Left combine and the Samajwadi Party, supporting the United Progressive Alliance government from outside, and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party have demanded a thorough discussion in Parliament on the issue.
Dasmunsi said the government has informed the Lok Sabha Speaker and the Rajya Sabha Chairman about it.
He said the government has been maintaining that it was not opposed to any structured debate on the issue in whatever form and it was for the presiding officers of the two Houses to decide.
Replying to a question, the minister said in Rajya Sabha that Dr Singh would respond to queries on his statement only on February 24.
In Lok Sabha, he will utilise the opportunity of his reply to the discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President for his address to speak on Iran on Feb 23.