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Iran seeks India's help on nuclear issue
A top representative of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has called upon India to play a "constructive role" to resolve the country's nuclear standoff with the West.
The report by the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency stopped short of saying India could mediate in defusing tensions surrounding Iran's atomic programme.
At his meeting on Tuesday with India's Ambassador to Iran Manbir Singh, the Ayatollah's representative to the Supreme National Security Council Hassan Rowhani said Tehran was prepared to take "all the necessary measures to build international confidence over its nuclear activities" provided the negotiations were not based on preconditions.
The United Nations Security Council has demanded that Iran suspend nuclear enrichment for talks to begin.
The meeting was widely covered in the Iranian media. The daily Tehran Times ran the report prominently under the headline, "U.S. biggest obstacle in Iran's nuclear standoff: official." The caption of the story run by Iran News said: "Rowhani calls for India's constructive role in nuclear case."
Diplomatic sources contacted by The Hindu in Tehran confirmed the veracity of the account of the meeting published by the state media.
Mr. Rowhani said India and Iran should work together to "boost stability and development in the region."
Mr. Singh said India was ready to cooperate with Iran in resolving regional issues. The envoy stressed that Iran's nuclear issue could be solved only through dialogue.
Gas pipeline
He pointed out that New Delhi was committed to sorting out the problems in the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project. Mr. Singh's comments coincided with the arrival in Tehran of official-level delegations from India and Pakistan for a trilateral meeting to narrow down differences over the price of Iranian gas.
A top representative of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has called upon India to play a "constructive role" to resolve the country's nuclear standoff with the West.
The report by the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency stopped short of saying India could mediate in defusing tensions surrounding Iran's atomic programme.
At his meeting on Tuesday with India's Ambassador to Iran Manbir Singh, the Ayatollah's representative to the Supreme National Security Council Hassan Rowhani said Tehran was prepared to take "all the necessary measures to build international confidence over its nuclear activities" provided the negotiations were not based on preconditions.
The United Nations Security Council has demanded that Iran suspend nuclear enrichment for talks to begin.
The meeting was widely covered in the Iranian media. The daily Tehran Times ran the report prominently under the headline, "U.S. biggest obstacle in Iran's nuclear standoff: official." The caption of the story run by Iran News said: "Rowhani calls for India's constructive role in nuclear case."
Diplomatic sources contacted by The Hindu in Tehran confirmed the veracity of the account of the meeting published by the state media.
Mr. Rowhani said India and Iran should work together to "boost stability and development in the region."
Mr. Singh said India was ready to cooperate with Iran in resolving regional issues. The envoy stressed that Iran's nuclear issue could be solved only through dialogue.
Gas pipeline
He pointed out that New Delhi was committed to sorting out the problems in the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project. Mr. Singh's comments coincided with the arrival in Tehran of official-level delegations from India and Pakistan for a trilateral meeting to narrow down differences over the price of Iranian gas.
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