New Delhi, July 6
Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao is on a quiet visit to Tehran in a clear attempt to woo the Iranian leadership, which has often complained that New Delhi is succumbing to American pressure when it comes to India-Iran ties.

Rao, accompanied by YK Sinha, Joint Secretary, in charge of Iran in the External Affairs Ministry, met Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi today and discussed the entire gamut of India-Iran relations. The Iranian minister is believed to have underlined the need for strong ties between the two nations in the overall interest of peace in the region. He also expressed dissatisfaction with the volume of trade between the two countries, hoping that it would grow manifold in the years to come.

Describing India as an important and effective country in the region and the world, Salehi said the two countries should capitalise on commonalities between them in various areas, including history and culture.

It could not be ascertained if there was any discussion on the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline. Iran and Pakistan have signed a bilateral agreement on it, without India’s participation in the ambitious project.

New Delhi is believed to be under the US pressure not to participate in the project because of Iran’s controversial nuclear programme. In the meantime, India has joined the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) pipeline project, much to Tehran’s discomfiture.