New Delhi, July 12 (UNI) India on Thursday said its final policy decision on US sanctions row with Iran will be guided strictly by national interests and maintained that Iran's clarification related to oil import issue is "self explanatory".
MEA spokesman Raveesh Kumar said that India would welcome greater engagements with the US on the sanctions row.
But he asserted that as a matter of policy, New Delhi's policy decision will be in national interests strictly.
"One thing is very clear; that whatever is mandated in our national interests will be done," he asserted.
He also said New Delhi does share very good relationship with Tehran.
Mr Kumar said: "Iran is an important partner for India.....We do share very good and very strong relationship with Iran. We are in touch with them on several issues including on the US sanctions".
The remarks come close on the heels Iran on Thursday said it will do its best to ensure security of oil
supply to India.
"Coercive literature has never had a place in the history of Iran and India relations and their dialogues," Iran embassy has said here in a clarification.
The Iranian embassy also said that Iran will do its best to ensure security of oil supply to India by offering various flexible measures which facilitate bilateral trade and also Indian exports to Iran.
Iran also said it "understands" the difficulties being faced by New Delhi in dealing with the unstable energy market and that it was for India to choose its energy partners.
Earlier on Tuesday, according to reports in a section of press, Iran’s deputy ambassador and charge d’affaires Massoud Rezvanian Rahaghi told a seminar here that his country would end the privileges being provided to India if New Delhi tried to source oil from countries like Saudi Arabia, Russia or Iraq.
MEA spokesman also said that from Indian perspective Chabahar Port is an important project and it is also crucial for Afghanistan.
"It is important for Afghanistan on two accounts because it gives them an alternative access to India and to other countries as well....and it also provides other countries a link to provide monetary assistance to Afghanistan," Mr Kumar said.
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