India, Iran hold talks on bilateral ties, Afghanistan, terrorism

Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao has held extensive discussions with Iranian leaders on bilateral relations between India and Iran during a two-day visit to Tehran that ended yesterday.

Among other issues, they exchanged views on the regional situation, including on Afghanistan, the menace of cross-border terrorism and other matters of regional and global relevance.

Ms Rao was in the Iranian capital for the 7th round of Foreign Office Consultations /Strategic Dialogue between the two countries at the invitation of her counterpart, Dr Mohammad Ali Fathollahi, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Asia & Oceania.

An official press release from the Ministry of External Affairs said that, during her stay in Tehran, Ms Rao called on Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, Economy and Finance Minister Seyed Shamseddin Hosseini and Supreme National Security Council Secretary Saeed Jalili.

It said that the next meeting of the India-iran Joint Commission would be held in New Delhi at an early date.

NNN