India on Monday emphasised to Iran the need for early completion of all necessary procedures for its participation in the $five billion Farzad-B gas field.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Iranian Minister for Economic Affairs and Finance Ali Taiebnia who co-chaired the Joint Commission Meeting also reviewed the progress in trade and economic cooperation and a number of related matters, and discussed the possibilities in cooperation in Railways among other areas.
The Iranian side suggested participation of India’s public and private sectors in development of Chabahar Port and Chabahar Free Trade Zone (FTZ) and in setting up an industrial units in the FTZ. Swaraj said Chabahar port will facilitate linking Afghanistan and Central Asia with India which will result in enhanced trade and commerce.
Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari had visited Tehran in May, and both the nations had inked a pact to develop the Chabahar port. Earlier, Taiebnia called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi who recalled his meeting with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in Ufa in July on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit and reiterated the keen desire of India to expand economic cooperation with Iran.