NEW DELHI: Iran on Thursday refuted reports that it had dropped India from the Chabahar-Zahedan railway project saying there was no deal inked even as India dismissed the reports as speculative.
A deputy with the Iran Ports and Maritime Organisation Farhad Montaser said that Iran has not inked any deal with India regarding the railway line.
“Iran has only signed two agreements with Indians for investment in Chabahar: one is related to the port’s machinery and equipment, and the second is related to India’s investment to the tune of $150 million,” he was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, India said IRCON had been appointed to conduct the feasibility report for the railway line in collaboration with CDTIC.
“IRCON has completed the site inspection and review of the feasibility report. Detailed discussions were thereafter held on other relevant aspects of the project, which had to take into account the financial challenges that Iran was facing."
In December 2019, these issues were reviewed in detail at the 19th India-Iran Joint Commission Meeting in Tehran. The Iranian side was to nominate an authorized entity to finalize outstanding technical and financial issues. This is still awaited,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said.
In 2018, the US had agreed to a waiver on Chabahar port projects under the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act (IFCA). Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani had described the port as a vital part of structuring Iran’s economic future.
‘World knows our culture’
India on Thursday refused to comment on Nepali Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s remarks on Lord Ram saying that the world was aware about India’s culture.
“The world knows about out culture and the Nepalese foreign ministry has clarified on the issue already,” MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said.
The statement came in response to Oli’s remarks that Ayodhya was in Nepal and Lord Ram was Nepali.
In a statement, the nepal foreign ministry said, “The remarks made by the PM are not linked to any political subject and have no intention at all to hurt the feeling and sentiment of anyone.”