(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - During the meeting, both the countries will review the bilateral relations.
Singh's bilateral meetings with Khamenei and Ahmadinejad also assume significance as they will take place at a time when the US is pushing India to reduce engagement with Iran and implement sanctions imposed by some countries over its controversial nuclear programme.
Iran is one of the key suppliers for oil for energy-starved India. As India is one of the biggest importers of Iranian oil in Asia, New Delhi can’t take risk to embitter its relationship with Tehran despite of US pressure. Iran fulfills India’s 12 percent energy requirements. In last year, India’s import business with Iran was USD 16 billion, in which USD13.5 billion was for oil imports.
While the West has been trying to underplay Iran hosting the NAM Summit, Tehran sees the event as a major diplomatic achievement.
Top leaders from 120 countries have been participating in the NAM summit, which means US and other Western countries will be forced to rethink their stance on Iran. It will be a severe dent to West’s campaign against Tehran if Tehran gets support from NAM countries over its nuclear programme.
Iran has been slapped with a number of sanctions by the US and the other western nations which accuse Iran of pursuing a clandestine nuclear weapons programme. However, Iran denies the charge and says its nuclear programme is for peaceful use.
On the sidelines of the summit of 120 non-aligned nations, Singh will also hold meetings with Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Egypt's first civilian President, Mohammed Mursi.
During the NAM summit, Iran will present a draft on Syria violence and disarmament of nuclear weapons in the region.
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29 August 2012 - 13:18
News ID: 341480
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who arrived in Iranian capital Tehran on Tuesday to attend 16th NAM summit, will hold parleys with top Iranian leaders, including Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Wednesday.
