Hyderabad | A senior Iranian diplomat’s statement that New Delhi will stand to lose “special privileges” if it cuts import of Iranian oil is “posturing” and there is no need to take it too seriously, according to a former Indian Ambassador to a Gulf nation.
Iran’s Deputy Ambassador and Charge d’Affaires Massoud Rezvanian Rahaghi had said in New Delhi yesterday that Iran will end the privileges being provided to India if it tries to source oil from countries like Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq and the US to offset cuts in Iranian oil.
“This is posturing,” former Indian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Oman and the UAE, Talmiz Ahmad told PTI.
“I would rather not take it seriously. This is not a decision which a diplomat can take. These are very high level decisions. I do not believe any country is going to take an aggressive posture”.
Terming them as a “kind of loose remarks”, he said diplomatic effort is usually done discreetly and with moderation. All interactions between nations are based on mutual interest, and all agreements that are made with each other are also for mutual interest.
“Therefore, I think it’s not any unique privileges that have been given to India. It’s an inducement to India to participate in a major project (Chabahar port). I think that will continue.”
On the Iranian diplomat criticising India for “not fulfilling its promise” of making investments in expansion of the strategically important Chabahar port, Ahmad said his own impression is that government of India is totally committed to Chabahar and connectivity projects.
Based on various remarks made by several diplomats, and their understanding of US policies, he said Chabahar is likely to be excluded from sanctions regime of the US.
“…which means there is no constraint upon India continuing to invest in Chabahar and connectivity projects to Afghanistan, central Asia and Russia to which we are committed”, Ahmad said.
“So, if there is any slowness or delay with regard to investment, it may be purely of bureaucratic character rather than a principled foreign policy position. So, I am confident about Chabahar going forward because it’s in our crucial national interest,” he added.
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