TEHRAN: With civilisational bonds forged over more than 1,000 years by “poets, mystics and merchants” rather than politicians, Iran expected India to resist more strongly the pressure to back US sanctions, said Irans foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in an interaction with women journalists from India.
“These are bonds that cannot be broken by political or economic alignment or short-term global reasons. India has taken a stance against sanctions and that is encouraging but we expected our friends to be more resilient,” he said. “You need to reject this pressure because the US behaves like a high school bully and India is also being bullied by not being allowed to buy oil from us.”
“If you cant lift oil from us, we will not be able to buy Indian rice,” said Zarif. The two countries share a unique deal wherein India has been able to bank the money it owes Iran for oil purchases in rupees and allows it to be used to fund Iranian purchase of rice and pharmaceuticals. Pulao made from Basmati is a staple on Iranian dining tables. Zarif said he understood Indias need to not “agitate” the US and added that “for the time being President Trump needs PM Modis votes in Texas”. But he stressed the need for “long-term perspective in dealing with these issues”.
The foreign minister also expressed disappointment at the slow progress on the Chabahar port in south-eastern Iran, the first phase of which is being developed in collaboration with India.
“It has not been as fast as we had Read More – Source
