Tehran has described its relationship with New Delhi as strategically important, with the Chabahar Port and economic cooperation expected to be among the key topics discussed at the upcoming BRICS Summit.
Iran has said it is important for India to maintain bilateral talks with India and has made clear it will take a step forward with India when the two countries meet in New Delhi for the upcoming BRICS summit. Tehran’s comments also underscore that relations between India and Iran are very much in the spotlight as tensions in West Asia are increasing and the United States is increasingly watching Iran and its relations with India.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said relations between the two countries are very good and Tehran attaches “great importance” to the partnership with New Delhi. He said both countries had long-standing historical and civil institutional ties, and trade and economic cooperation were important areas of bilateral relations.
Baghaei’s comments were made one day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Bishkek on August 31. The two leaders had their first meeting since the outbreak of the current West Asia conflict last year when it began.
Iran Plans To Use BRICS Summit For India Talks
As India is set to host the 18th BRICS leaders’ summit from September 11 to 13, Iran sees the gathering as an opportunity to continue discussions with New Delhi on issues of mutual interest.
Baghaei said consultations between India and Iran are mostly about various subjects, as well as Chabahar Port, which remains one of the most important things in the bilateral relationship. He also said Tehran will use the BRICS forum to advance these discussions.
The Chabahar Port project is of great strategic and economic significance for both countries. India has considered the Iranian port as a key gateway to Afghanistan and Central Asian markets and has started planning an alternative route for trade to the port bypassing Pakistan. For Iran, better connectivity at Chabahar will facilitate trade, investment and even regional economic integration.
The relationship between India and Iran “continues to develop,” Baghaei said, and Tehran seems interested in expanding cooperation despite the tough geopolitical landscape surrounding Iran.
India-Iran Engagement Under US Scrutiny
The renewed focus on India-Iran ties comes at a time when Washington is closely watching Tehran’s international economic ties. Iran has long been under close US sanctions and countries and companies have been warned repeatedly to stop trying to squeeze around those restrictions.
Marco Rubio recently commented on PM Modi’s meeting with President Pezeshkian and said he did not believe that the interaction was meant to pave the path for a trade agreement between India and Iran.
Rubio conceded that countries have the right to pursue their own foreign policies, but warned of creating mechanisms that could enable Iran to generate revenue in violation of US sanctions. He warned that countries aiding Tehran in evading sanctions could themselves face sanctions from Washington.
The comments underscore the diplomatic balancing act facing India as it strives to maintain a high level of relations with countries across competing geopolitical blocs. New Delhi has always had a separate foreign policy approach, dealing with Iran but also has close strategic and economic relations with the United States.
Chabahar Remains A Major Bilateral Priority
Chabahar is still an important pillar of India’s engagement with Iran despite external pressure. The port has been very much part of New Delhi's connectivity strategy within the region and is a key way of driving commercial traffic with Central Asia.
Esmail Baghaei, @IRIMFA_SPOX Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the I.R. #Iran:
— Iran in India (@Iran_in_India) September 7, 2026
One of the meetings that President Masoud Pezeshkian held in Bishkek was with the Prime Minister of #India. Our relationship with India is a long-standing, historic and… pic.twitter.com/To8UVIbCGz
The issue could also be at the heart of Indian and Iranian officials' discussions at the BRICS Summit. With Iran also a member of BRICS, an additional platform for both countries to discuss trade, investment, connectivity and other areas of cooperation will be provided.
For Tehran, good relations with India are also an economic and diplomatic route at a time when Western sanctions continue to restrict Iran’s access to international markets. For India, relations with Iran are in the region’s interest and also in Central Asian markets and regional integration.
The latest comments from Tehran indicate that India-Iran relations will be at the center of all the discussions for the BRICS summit discussions. The geopolitical pressures may present challenges, but the two sides could find it difficult not to keep lines of communication open and to keep going and to continue cooperation in areas where they have similar interests.
