Foreign secy meets Iranian FM amid war in Gaza

November 26, 2023 20:04

Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra on Sunday met Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Tehran and discussed ways to strengthen bilateral ties, boost connectivity through the Chabahar port, and the current situation in West Asia arising out of the Hamas-Israel conflict.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said both sides agreed to further strengthen the ongoing cooperation in various spheres.

'Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra called on FM @Amirabdolahian of Iran in Tehran today,' Bagchi said on X.

'Discussed bilateral matters, connectivity projects including Chabahar port, and shared perspective on current challenges in the region. Both sides agreed to further strengthen the ongoing cooperation in various spheres,' he said.

Kwatra's visit to Tehran assumes significance as it came amid growing global concerns over the hostilities between Hamas and Israel. The two sides agreed on a four-day ceasefire from Friday.

In Tehran, Kwatra also met Iran's deputy foreign minister for economic diplomacy Mehdi Safari.

Bagchi said the discussions focused on concretising India's engagement in development of the Chabahar port as a connectivity project.

"Avenues of increasing broader trade and investment ties were also reviewed," he said.

Located in Sistan-Balochistan province on the energy-rich Iran's southern coast, the Chabahar port is being developed by India and Iran to boost connectivity and trade ties.

At a connectivity conference in Tashkent in 2021, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar projected the Chabahar port as a key regional transit hub, including to Afghanistan. -- PTI

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