Resolving Bilateral Irritants with Iran

Why in news?

Recently, Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei equated the on-going Kashmir conflict with that of Yemen conflict and said that the Muslim world must express their disdain against ‘oppressors’.

Why Iran issued a statement like this?

• The statement just reflects his country’s concerns about getting regionally isolated at a time following the Donald Trump administration’s hard line against them.
• The hardline seemed to have emboldened Saudi Arabia and its allies to squeeze Iran out of the regional matrix.
• Ex. Saudi Arabia has recently warned Qatar that more punitive measures would follow if Qatar embraces Iran any further.
• Thus, the statement might be a signal to India that its growing closeness to Saudi Arabia and the UAE, is being watched closely in Tehran.
• It’s a reminder to India that Iran too has a role in the Islamic world which can’t be ignored.

What does the statement signify?

• There is nothing new in his recent statement since Ayatollah has been talking of Kashmir since 2010.
• Iranian criticism of India’s position on Kashmir has repeatedly sparked protests within the Indian government.
• Still, New Delhi has done well not to give it too much weight.
• But eventhough Iran has earlier voted against India on the issue of Kashmir in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), this is the first time the issue has been given a religious colour by Iran.

What should be the major concern?

• The recent decline in economic ties should be of greater concern to the two countries.
• Iran seems to be in no hurry to decide on awarding the contract for gas exploration in its Farzad B offshore field to ONGC Videsh.
• Pending a decision on the contract, India has decided to decrease the volume of Iranian crude oil it will be buying this year.
• Further, the slow pace of the Chabahar port project has vexed the Iranians.
• They have even indicated that despite India developing the project, it won’t be exclusive to the country.
• For India, this undercuts the very strategic utility of the port — viewed as India’s answer to the Gwadar port (developed by China) that will allow it to circumvent Pakistan and open up a route to landlocked Afghanistan.
• Thus, India needs to work with the reformist regime of Hassan Rouhani (President of Iran) to ensure that the bilateral irritants in fostering economic ties are resolved soon.

Source: The Hindu & The Indian Express