Foreign secretary S Jaishankar to visit Iran to boost bilateral ties

NEW DELHI: Foreign secretary S Jaishankar is planning to visit Iran this month as part of India's move to renew bilateral ties amid efforts at rapprochement with the Persian Gulf nation by world powers.

Jaishankar is finalising his trip after road transport, highways and shipping minister Nitin Gadkari visited Tehran last month to sign an MoU on Chabahar port expansion project. His trip will be followed by that of foreign minister Sushma Swaraj for NAM ministerial meeting. Officials said Jaishankar's visit will focus on cementing trade ties that were hampered due to US sanctions on Iran.

Jaishankar is expected to discuss connectivity projects such as that linking Chabahar port to Afghanistan border and North-South Transportation Corridor that will pass through Iran.