Highlights

• Iran ensures overland connectivity between Eurasia and India and it is not just an energy supplier, said former Vice-President Hamid Ansari on Friday.
• “Our relationship with Iran has been built carefully and thoughtfully by all past governments as Iran for us is not just an energy supplier from the Persian Gulf region. We have to look at Iran from a different point of view. For us, Iran is a land power on the other side of Pakistan that provides us with an alternative route to Afghanistan,” said Mr. Ansari
• Iran has borders with a large number of countries that India cannot access because of the barrier that Pakistan poses to India’s overland connectivity plans.
• Iran provides alternative access to Afghanistan which is a strategic necessity for Delhi and therefore India should view this relationship with special care.
• “We have to view relations with Iran in totality and not let only one dimension like energy to define our ties. Our infrastructure-building activities in Afghanistan is done with support from Iran. Iran has the port of Chabahar where we have invested because access to Afghanistan is crucial for us,” said Mr. Ansari.
• “During the war of 1971, the government of Shah was pro-Pakistan, but we maintained ties with that government and subsequently that relationship helped us address energy security. With the same attitude, we nurtured ties even when the Islamic Revolution took place in 1979,” he said. the former Vice President expressed hope that the current government of India will take all aspects of Iran-India ties while deciding on President Trump’s demands.

Source:The Hindu