Larijani to visit India to expand Tehran-New Delhi ties

Iranian Majlis (Parliament) Speaker Ali Larijani is scheduled to pay an official visit to India to explore new avenues for the expansion of bilateral ties, particularly in the area of parliamentary cooperation.

Hossein Sheikholeslam, Majlis director general for international affairs, said on Tuesday that Larijani will hold talks with Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and a number of other senior officials.

He added that the four-day visit, which will begin on February 24, comes at the invitation of Meira Kumar, the speaker of the lower house of the Indian parliament.

In a meeting with the Indian ambassador to Iran on February 5, Larijani underlined the need for the enhancement of bilateral relations and cooperation between Tehran and New Delhi in various areas.

He emphasized the leading roles of the two countries in international arenas, saying Majlis is keen to increase parliamentary ties with India.

Ambassador Shri D.P. Srivastava described talks on regional issues between Iranian and Indian officials as constructive, and said Larijani’s upcoming visit to India would be an important step toward the expansion of friendly relations between the two countries.