live update: Irani President Hassan Rouhani meeting with PM Modi from Chabahar port

As the meeting between Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Prime Minister Narendra Modi begins, Iran has expressed willingness to share its vast oil and natural gas resources with India for the prosperity of its people and offered to simplify visa norms to strengthen the relations between the two countries. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who is on a three-day visit to India, said that the current century belongs to Asia where New Delhi and Tehran have a very important role to play.

He also emphasized on the importance of the Chabahar port being jointly built in southeastern Iran, saying it will open the transit route for India to Iran, Afghanistan, Central Asian countries as well as Europe.

Ahead of the bilateral meeting between both countries, President Rouhani said, "We, in the Islamic Republic of Iran, believe that the people of Iran and India have had friendly relations with each other. We have had (close) cultural, economic and other relations with each other since the last many centuries." President Rouhani was given a state reception at the Rashtrapati Bhavan this morning.

Iran President Hassan Rouhani speaks in joint statement

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, while giving the joint statement with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India and Iran had a good understanding. He said that he had seen the construction of the Chabahar port with investment from India.

President Rouhani said India and Iran will see development in the co-operation in the energy, petroleum and gas sectors.

India and Iran sign 9 agreements, keep focus on Iran's Chabahar Port

India and Iran have signed nine agreements and have kept their focus on Iran's Chabahar port. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier in the joint statement, highlighted the importance of the Chabahar port, saying it helped in increasing trade.

The nine agreements that were signed are listed as follows:

Maritime Agreement on Chabahar Port and Document on Shahid Beheshti port

Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks on India-Iran ties

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India and Iran want to co-operate on many fronts and want to deepen ties. PM Modi lauded Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's vision for giving access for trade with land-locked Afghanistan through Iran's Chabahar port. 

PM Modi said Indians and Iranians had learned a lot from each other. He said that India and Iran's bond will only grow stronger with easier visa norms and educational ties.

PM Modi said that more co-operation between India and Iran would only benefit Afghanistan, India and Iran's immediate neighbor. 

He said India and Iran shared the same vision for the entire sub-continent.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iran President Hassan Rouhani give joint statement

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Iran President Hassan Rouhani have begun to give a joint statement.

Iran President Hassan Rouhani, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Meet At Delhi's Hyderabad House

Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed Iranian President Hassan Rouhani at the Hyderabad House in Delhi. The two leaders will discuss various issues with regard to ties between Iran and India. Both nations want to deepen their cultural relations and deepen economic ties. Bilateral talks will follow, at the end of which both leaders will give a joint statement. The talks will last nearly 2 hours, following which both countries will sign and exchange agreements.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj Meets Iranian President Hassan Rouhani In Delhi

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani Lays A Wreath At The Samadhi Of Mahatma Gandhi

India-Iran Bilateral Talks - Key Geopolitical Decision

The United States has said that it will not come in the way of India-Iran trade matters. In October 2017, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, in a visit to India, had said the Trump administration saw "no contradiction" with US-Iran sanctions and India's port project in Chabahar. In a major geopolitical decision, Indians can invest in Iranian infrastructure and connectivity projects in rupees, making Iran the only country apart from Bhutan and Nepal to get this privilege. This helps Iran bypass sanctions and boost ties with India.

India-Iran Bilateral Talks - Improved Visa Norms

Iran has also said that it will simplify visa norms for Indians so that people to people ties could improve. Mr Rouhani said he hopes India will do the same for the people of his country. In Hyderabad, President Rouhani, who is a Shia, visited the Sunni mosque Mecca Masjid and called for unity among Muslims. He joined people in offering prayers at the 17th century mosque. "If Islam is presented before the world in true sense, then the whole world will love this religion," he said. The Iranian President also condemned the travel ban imposed by US President Donald Trump on some



countries by branding Muslims as terrorists, news agency PTI reported. President Rouhani said in Hyderabad that Islam is based on kindness and affection.

11:11 AM 

India-Iran Bilateral Talks - The Agenda

Oil and gas cooperation will be the other issue on the table. India imports oil and gas from Iran, but negotiations have been pending on the Farzad-B gas and oil fields in Iran's southern area, which India has expressed interest in. "Iran has abundant oil and natural gas resources and is willing to share them with India for its progress and prosperity of (its) people," President Rouhani said in Hyderabad. A 21-member delegation of ministers and businessmen from Iran is accompanying him and they are looking to seal a number of deals.

India-Iran Bilateral Talks - The Agenda

During Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's visit to India, both nations will be hoping to iron out several issues, particularly the progress on the deepwater Chabahar Port that Iran feels has got stuck due to US pressure on other countries and the latest set of sanctions against Iran. India is already routing a consignment of 1.1 million tonnes of wheat to Afghanistan through Chabahar port. The $85 million port project, just 90 km from the China-sponsored Gwadar port in Balochistan, is significant as it gives India, Iran and Afghanistan a transit route to central Asia and Europe.

11:03 AM 

Hassan Rouhani's visit comes a month after the Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was here, indicating India's delicate balancing act. The Iranian President's first stop was Hyderabad where he visited the Salar Jung Museum, Golconda Fort and Qutb Shahi Tomb. This is his second visit to Hyderabad and the first after becoming Iran's President in 2013. 

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's Full Schedule In Delhi Today

After the ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani proceeded to Rajghat. He will lay a wreath at the Samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi. From there, President Rouhani will head to Hotel ITC Maurya in New Delhi's diplomatic enclave, where External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and he will meet. This will be followed by President Rouhani attending a business event at Hotel Leela Palace, which is also located in diplomatic enclave - Chankyapuri. At noon, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet at Hyderabad House in Delhi. The meeting will last for nearly two hours, at the end of which, at 1:50 pm, both leaders will give a joint press statement. Agreements signed between Iran and India will also be exchanged at the time. 

At 4 pm this evening, The Iranian president will participate at the Observer Research Foundation lecture at the Taj Mahal Hotel (Taj Mansingh) in Delhi. He will then proceed to Hotel ITC Maurya where Vice President Venkaiah Naidu will meet him.

Later in the evening, President Rouhani will meet the members of the Parsi community at an event at Hotel ITC Maurya. In his last engagement for the day, the Iranian president will meet his Indian counterpart at the Rashtrapati Bhavan at 7:30 pm. 

Iran President Hassan Rouhani's Statement After Receiving A Ceremonial Welcome At Rashtrapati Bhavan

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani issued a short statement at the Rashtrapati Bhavan this morning after he was given a ceremonial welcome. President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the Iranian President to India.

President Ram Nath Kovind, PM Narendra Modi Welcome Iranian President Hassan Rouhani

President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed Iranian President Hassan Rouhani at the Rashtrapati Bhavan this morning. The Iranian president is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Modi this afternoon. India and Iran look to enhance cultural relations and deepen economic ties.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani Gets Ceremonial Welcome At Rashtrapati Bhavan

This is first visit to India by an Iranian President in ten years. President Rouhani, who has been in India for the last two days - visiting Hyderabad - was given a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan this morning. President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed President Rouhani, who also gave a short statement to the media after the welcome ceremony.

Ahead of the bilateral meeting between both countries, President Rouhani said, "We, in the Islamic Republic of Iran, believe that the people of Iran and India have had friendly relations with each other. We have had (close) cultural, economic and other relations with each other since the last many centuries." President Rouhani was given a state reception at the Rashtrapati Bhavan this morning.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who is on a three-day visit to India, said that the current century belongs to Asia where New Delhi and Tehran have a very important role to play. He also emphasised on the importance of the Chabahar port being jointly built in southeastern Iran, saying it will open the transit route for India to Iran, Afghanistan, Central Asian countries as well as Europe.

Ahead of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi today, Iran has expressed willingness to share its vast oil and natural gas resources with India for the prosperity of its people and offered to simplify visa norms to strengthen the relations between the two countries.