India reiterates its stand to US on strategic relations with Iran
India, on Friday, reiterated its stance to the United States regarding the importance of a strategic relationship with Iran in the face of denial of land access by Pakistan to Afghanistan. This was conveyed by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to her US counterpart, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.
“From our side we explained the Indian position, particularly the need to maintain land-based access to Afghanistan. We explained the need for us to have the Chabahar port link, and from there the rail corridor to Afghanistan. This is especially in the context of Pakistan denying us access through land,” Sitharaman said.
US President Donald Trump had reinstated a number of sanctions on Iran which his predecessor Barack Obama had tried to dismantle. The latest sanctions were intended to force Iran to dramatically alter its policies in the region, including its support for militant groups in the region and its development of ballistic missiles. The US has said it will impose sanctions on whoever deals with Iran.
