Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran cautioned journalists that India's relationship with Iran cannot be reduced to the two votes New Delhi cast against Teheran at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in September 2005 and February 2006. Saran said that just because India voted against Iran does not mean that it opposed the country just as Iran’s multiple votes against India on Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) matters.

Saran insisted that India and Iran have “civilizational (sic)” ties and despite differences the relationship remained “very strong.” India also wants Tehran to have full rights to develop nuclear energy under international treaties as long as it observes its obligations. Basically, Saran is saying that Iran has to stay within the NPT which expressly prohibits the development of nuclear weapons by non-Nuclear weapon states. While there is circumstantial evidence against Iran’s nuclear weapons program, there is no concrete evidence, which is usually the case. Disgraced Pakistani nuclear scientist A.Q. Khan operated a network that sold nuclear weapons technology to Iran  besides North Korea, Syria, and Libya. India believes that a nuclear weapons program in Iran is not in its interest . Departing from its maintained position, Pakistan recently admitted that Khan did export nuclear weapons technology. The US has cut aid to Pakistan  citing gaps in human rights and lack of progress in democracy but many believe that the real reason is not providing access to question Khan.

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Spokesman said the western incentives package  aimed at persuading Tehran to stop enriching uranium was an "acceptable basis" for talks and invited world powers to enter detailed negotiations. The West had even backed off demands of rollback of enrichment started by Iran in violation of the Paris Agreement but only to suspend enrichment while negotiations where ongoing.

Saran announced that Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki would be visiting New Delhi in the near future but did not disclose the agenda.

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