India to improve ties with Iran

Dubai, Nov 3 (UNI) Visiting Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee conferred with Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki in Tehran on expansion of mutual relations as well as regional developments and on ways and means to bolster two way trade.

At the meeting yesterday, Mr Mottaki expressed satisfaction with the current volume of trade exchange between the two countries which is the outcome of 15th Iran-India Joint Economic Commission meeting.

Sharing deep-rooted historical and cultural bounds, the two countries have always adopted a strategic approach to meet the two nations' interests, he said.

Highlighting the two sides' capabilities in various sectors, he said there are huge potentials for joint investments and increasing volume of trade exchange.

He hoped to witness expansion of all-out ties between the two countries, the official IRNA news agency reported.

On global economic meltdown, Mr Mottaki said the current economic crisis requires countries to broaden cooperation and contribute to implementing development projects.

The Indian Foreign Minister, for his part, said ties between Iran and India have always remained close and have never been affected by any pressure as the two sides take into account each other's interests in their relations.

Highlighting the significant status of Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), he said, ''They (NAM member states) have always adopted a multilateral approach in dealing with discrimination and injustice, and acted independently and we are to purse the same path.

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