Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif on Tuesday said his country has been the most reliable energy supplier to India and will remain so despite sanctions reimposed by US President Donald Trump's administration.
“Iran is the most reliable energy provider for India. We have never allowed any consideration to impede our economic relations with our partners. We have always been there and we will always be there,” said Zarif, who is on a tour to New Delhi.
Noting that India-Iran relations have strong roots and business communities of the two nations have long been working together, he said that political will of both the governments and the strong economic interests of the business communities of the two nations would help overcome the challenges posed by the sanctions imposed by the US.
“We are moving into an era where we need to be careful about the precedents that are being set. Today, we are witnessing economic might being used to advance illegality, not legality,” Zarif said, criticising US for reimposing sanctions on Iran.
Zarif is in New Delhi to take part in Raisina Dialogue, a conference held by Ministry of External Affairs in partnership with Observer Research Foundation. He addressed an India-Iran business meet on Tuesday.
“We provide urea fertilisers, almost a third of India’s requirement. Today, they (the farmers of India) pay 38% more (for urea) because of the arbitrary US sanctions on Iran from selling them to India,” said the Iranian Foreign Minister.