M A I N   N E W S

PM congratulates Iran’s President-elect Rowhani
Seeks further strengthening of ties
Ashok Tuteja/TNS

New Delhi, June 19
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today congratulated Iran's President-elect Hassan Rowhani and said India looked forward to strengthening of ties between the two nations in the coming years.

In his congratulatory message to Rowhani, the PM noted that India and Iran enjoyed deep historical and civilisation links, which had provided a strong foundation for a broad-based and mutually beneficial relationship.

"We look forward to strengthening this relationship further and harnessing its enormous potential in the coming years," he added.

Rowhani, a reformist known for his moderate image favouring more personal freedom and a more conciliatory approach to the world, was voted Iran's President last Saturday to succeed Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, considered a hardliner, particularly on the Islamic republic's nuclear stand-off with the West. Rowhani himself has been a nuclear negotiator with the West for his country in the past.

Manmohan Singh's congratulatory message came a day after Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai addressed in Geneva the conference on disarmament ((CD), currently headed by Iran. The US, Canada and some Western countries have been boycotting the CD since it is currently being chaired by Iran.

Officials said India was expected to send a high-level representative to Iran for the swearing-in of Rowhani in view of strong civilisation links with the Islamic country.

Iran is still a major source of oil supplies to India and the two countries have a shared interest in peace and stability in Afghanistan. India has also decided to build the Chabahar Port in Iran that will provide a strategic road link to Afghanistan.