Iranian President Hasan Rouhani stressed on Monday that the US sanctions against the Islamic Republic are ineffective, noting that Washington US has no choice but to abandon the so-called ‘maximum pressure’ policy.
Making the remarks Monday in a meeting with the visiting India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Rouhani said that “in current circumstances that America is standing against nations with unilateral sanctions, we should try to preserve our bilateral ties and cooperation.”
“These conditions are transient and America has no choice but to abandon maximum pressure against Iran before or after its presidential elections,” he said.
Referring to the ties between Iran and India, Rouhani said: “There is no doubt that relations between the two countries will further deepen with the resolve of the two Iranian and Indian governments and nations,” he added.
The Iranian President said, “Interaction and negotiation between Iranian and Indian authorities have always had positive effects in further cementing of relations.”
“We should make efforts to elevate the trade and economic relations between the two countries to a desired and expected level,” Rouhani said, as quoted by his official website.
The Indian top diplomat, for his part, described the recent meeting of the joint economic commission of the two countries as “constructive and effective” and said Tehran and New Delhi should strive to further develop the relations and cooperation in various areas, especially economy.
Jaishankar arrived in Tehran on Sunday to take part in the 19th meeting of Iran-India Joint Commission, co-chaired by him and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.
Source: Iranian media
