Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian held bilateral talks in New Delhi on Friday, marking their second meeting in two weeks amid heightened tensions in the Middle East. Pezeshkian arrived in India to attend the BRICS Summit and discuss ways to strengthen India-Iran trade, economic cooperation and broader bilateral ties.
During the talks, India is expected to emphasise the importance of freedom of navigation and the protection of civil infrastructure amid the ongoing regional tensions. Pezeshkian's visit is his first to India as Iran's president and comes against the backdrop of growing geopolitical uncertainty and disruptions affecting regional trade and connectivity.
Before travelling to New Delhi, Pezeshkian stressed the need for BRICS members to strengthen their economic resilience. Speaking at the BRICS Business Forum, he called for greater use of national currencies in trade among member countries and argued that the grouping should create conditions in which no country can disrupt another country's legitimate trade by monopolising financial instruments.
Also Read: Supreme Court Rejects Tarun Tejpal’s Plea, Directs Him To Surrender Within Two Weeks
Pezeshkian also criticised US military actions and sanctions while underlining the role of BRICS institutions in reducing dependence on the US dollar. His comments came as the summit brought together leaders and representatives from major emerging economies to discuss economic cooperation at a time of geopolitical and trade uncertainty.
India and Iran have maintained longstanding civilisational, cultural and people-to-people ties. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal welcomed Pezeshkian's arrival, describing the two countries as BRICS partners working towards shared progress and prosperity. The two sides are also seeking to strengthen economic and strategic cooperation despite the broader challenges facing the region.
Modi and Pezeshkian had previously met in Bishkek on August 31 on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit. During that meeting, Modi conveyed India's support for efforts aimed at ending the conflict, while Pezeshkian sought India's diplomatic support in encouraging the conflicting sides to move away from violence and return to negotiations. The BRICS Summit in New Delhi is taking place amid the Russia-Ukraine war, the Middle East crisis, concerns over the Strait of Hormuz and evolving US trade and tariff policies.
Also Read: Iran President Pezeshkian Proposes Regional Security Cooperation With Neighbours