Anjali Sharma
GG News Bureau
WASHINGTON , 7th July. India Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said in a post X ”Congratulations @drpezeshkian on your election as the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Looking forward to working closely with you to further strengthen our warm and long-standing bilateral relationship for the benefit of our peoples and the region”.
Modi congratulated Iranian reformist leader Masoud Pezeshkian on his victory in the presidential election in Iran, said that he looks forward to further strengthening the long-standing relationship between the two countries.
”Congratulations @drpezeshkian on your election as the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Looking forward to working closely with you to further strengthen our warm and long-standing bilateral relationship for the benefit of our peoples and the region,” the PM said in a post on X.
According to officials the election in the Islamic Republic of Iran were necessitated due to the death of President Ebrahim Raisi, along with his foreign minister and other key aides, in a helicopter crash in May.
Pezeshkian, a heart surgeon and former minister, won the runoff presidential election, against the hard-liner Saeed Jalili by promising to reach out to the West and ease enforcement on the country’s mandatory headscarf law.
India will keep a close watch on the developments in Iran in the wake of the presidential election due to its civilisational ties with Iran.
Iran is battling Western sanctions and India’s key sources of crude oil.
India has maintained close relations with Iran in diverse fields despite threats of sanctions from the US.
India’s bilateral trade has increased to $2.33 billion in 2022-23, making it one of the biggest trading partners in West Asia.
India has invested heavily in the Chabahar Port in Iran, which provides it a crucial transport link to Afghanistan, bypassing Pakistan.
India is developing the port on a war-footing to enhance regional connectivity up to Central Asia and beyond. Successive regimes in Iran have welcomed Indian investments in the port and other projects.
New Delhi has pledged to invest $120 million in equipping the port.
India has also offered an in-credit window equivalent to $250 million, for mutually identified projects aimed at improving Chabahar-related infrastructure.
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