Larijani: Indo-Iran Cooperation Will Secure Indias Energy Needs

New Delhi (Antara/IRNA-0ANA) - Indo-Iran joint investments in energy sector would go a long way in ensuring energy security for India besides providing New Delhi an expanded role in the region, visiting Iranian Parliament (Majlis) Speaker Ali Larijani said here Wednesday. In a meeting with Indian Vice President Hamid Ansari, Larijani also emphasized that there was a vast scope for enhancing cooperation between the two countries in areas of agri-products and scientific research. The Iranian official added that cultural proximity between the two nations should be taken as an advantage to make a better future, pti reported. "On various issues including on terrorism and extremism India and Iran have similar views," Larijani added. Welcoming the Iranian delegation led by Larijani, Ansari, also the chairman of the Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Indian parliament), recalled an anecdote from Jawaharlal Nehru's who had once said "The discovery of India¿ wherein India and Iran were described as two brothers who were separated in the childhood and were reunited through the good old tunes that they played on their flutes." Emphasising that cooperation with Iran was very important for India, Ansari noted public opinion contributed a lot in enhancing such cooperation and parliamentary exchanges such as Larijani¿s visit would go a long way in building a positive public opinion. In response to Larijani¿s reference to the nuclear issue, Ansari hoped the impasse would be resolved through dialogue in a peaceful manner as reports suggested that the dialogue process was moving in the right direction. Stating that terror and absence of convergence of views were the factors that negated peace in the world, Ansari cautioned the world should be alert to such factors. Ali Larijani arrived in New Delhi from Mumbai on Tuesday. He is in India since February 24 on a five-day official visit which is taking place upon an invitation from the Lok Sabha Speaker Meera Kumar.(*)