The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, spoke on telephone with President of Iran, Mr. Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, today evening. The conversation was initiated by the Indian Prime Minister and lasted about 15 minutes.

Both leaders agreed that a strong and vibrant India-Iran relationship is of strategic importance for both countries, and would be beneficial for peace and prosperity of the entire region. In this context both Prime Minister and President Ahmedinejad reaffirmed the need to accelerate the implementation of all ongoing cooperation projects including those in the energy and transport infrastructure sectors.

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and President Ahmedinejad expressed satisfaction at the current state of bilateral relations, which both leaders affirmed, are deeply rooted in centuries of shared history and culture.