New Delhi, Oct 1, IRNA � Iran's Minster of Roads and Urban Development Abbas Akhoundi said Tehran welcomes Tokyo's cooperation with New Delhi in development plan on Chabahar port in southeast of Iran.


In an exclusive interview with IRNA, Akhoundi said such cooperation would accelerate the process of development of the Iranian port city which is located on the Gulf of Oman.

At the end of his three-day visit to India, Akhoundi described the implementation process of Chabahar development plan as good and appropriate, saying the program is going with the schedule.

After removal of anti-Iran sanctions in January, the ground is prepared for activating the North-South Corridor, the Minister said.

North�South Transport Corridor is a sea, rail, and road route for exchange of goods between India, Russia, Iran which also connects Europe and Central Asia.

He further referred to sanctions as an important problem on promotion of Tehran-New Delhi relations.

During his stay in India that ended on September 30, Akhoundi noted, he held talks with the Indian officials on various issues including railroad, oil and investment.

Akhoundi said the issue of following up implementation of the trilateral agreement on Chabahar port that was signed between Iran, Afghanistan and India in late May in Tehran was at the heart of his talks with the Indian officials.

Commenting on oil cooperation between Tehran and New Delhi, Akhoundi said the fact that India intends to increase the volume of its purchased oil from Iran indicates its willingness to widen ties with the country.

Akhoundi left Bombay for Tehran on Friday.

While in India, he conferred with ministers of rail road, shipping, high ways and road transportations on ways of expanding railway cooperation and joint investment at Chabahar port and signing of trilateral transit MoU.
He also attended a trilateral meeting between Iran, India and Afghanistan transportation ministers and discussed Chabahar trilateral memorandum of understanding (MoU) with them.

The ministers called for expansion of cooperation and increase in volume of trade exchanges between the parties.

By IRNA