PM Modi to meet top Iranian leaders in Tehran today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is in Tehran on a two-day state visit to Iran, will have crucial meetings today with the leaders of the host country and witness signing of various agreements having economic and strategic importance. After the ceremonial reception, Mr Modi is scheduled to meet Iranian President Dr Hassan Rouhani in a restricted meeting followed by delegation level talks.

The two leaders are expected to discuss issues of mutual interest like improving connectivity, regional and international issues including the menace of terror and extremism and the ways and means of carrying forward bilateral relations to a higher level. After the talks, signing of agreements and Memorandum of Understanding on a series of projects including Chabahar port is expected to be signed.

Both the leaders will later jointly address the press, highlighting the developments. In the afternoon, the



trilateral agreement on connectivity of India with landlocked Afghanistan through the Iranian port of Chabahar will be signed. It will be witnessed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the President of Iran Dr Hassan Rouhani and Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani.

The prestigious Chabahar Port project was visualized during the earlier NDA regime, though it hibernated for quite long, mainly due to the slapping of international sanctions against Iran. However, post-sanctions Iran is now ready for welcoming global role in its economy.

And India’s ages old civilizational ties with the Persian Gulf nation and the solid foundation already put in place for the port connectivity and similar other projects come handy to bring the agreements to fruition now. They are expected to have rich dividends for the economies of both the nations apart from having positive strategic and diplomatic impacts.