India on Tuesday informed Iran that the decision on purchasing Iranian oil will be taken after the national polls come to an end on 23 May.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj informed her visiting Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif that the decision will be taken keeping in mind the commercial considerations, energy security and economic interests.
Zarif arrived in India on Monday amid rising tensions between Iran and the US following the US withdrawal from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and re-imposing sanctions on Tehran.
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Zarif’s visit took place on his own initiative to brief the Indian side on the Iranian approach to the recent developments in the region including on Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and to review bilateral cooperation.
This was part of their consultation with other countries in the region including Russia, China, Turkmenistan and Iraq over the last few days.
“India is consistent with Iran in many areas and such bilateral dialogues and exchanges are absolutely necessary for strengthening relations between the two countries,” Zarif was quoted as saying by Iran’s Mehr news agency.
Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) is the Iran nuclear deal between Iran and the P5+1 —China, France, Germany, Russia, the UK and the US in 2015. In 2018, US President Donald Trump pulled the US out of the deal.
Last week, US Trade Secretary Wilbur Ross was in New Delhi to urge India not to do business with Iran and promised to help ensure oil supplies from countries like Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates.
(With inputs from ANI)
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