US state secretary Marco Rubio does not believe India and Iran are currently negotiating a trade deal. He made the assertion when asked about Prime Minister Narendra Modi meeting Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Kyrgyzstan’s Bishkek.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Bishkek. (@narendramodi/X, Bloomberg)
On The Brian Kilmeade Show, Rubio was asked about Modi’s meeting with Pezeshkian and whether India and Iran were working towards a trade arrangement.
“Well, I don’t think there’s a trade deal between India and Iran.” Rubio said countries formulate their own foreign policies and noted that several nations maintain contact with the Iranian government.
“Obviously, there are – countries all develop their own foreign policy, and many countries around the world talk to the Iranian regime,” Rubio said.
‘Have to sanction them too’
Rubio, though, repeated that countries should not help Iran bypass US sanctions or create channels that could generate revenue for Tehran.
“I think what ultimately happens, though, is – and the President [Donald Trump] has been very clear – is no country should be helping Iran evade sanctions,” Rubio said.
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“No country should be out there helping them create mechanisms by which they can generate revenue that they will then use to sponsor terrorism and try to build a nuclear weapon,” he added.
He said that countries facilitating such mechanisms could themselves come under US sanctions. “And if countries decide to do that, then we’re going to have to sanction them too,” the US secretary of state said.
What Modi and Pezeshkian discussed
Modi, meanwhile, said India was committed to strengthening its long-standing ties with Iran and expanding bilateral trade.
“Met President Masoud Pezeshkian in Bishkek. Reiterated our commitment to strengthening India’s long-standing friendship with Iran across diverse sectors. We want to expand and diversify our trade basket in the times to come,” PM Modi said on X following the meeting.
The Prime Minister said the two leaders also discussed the situation in the region and India’s support for efforts aimed at securing lasting peace.
The ministry of external affairs said the meeting was “fruitful” and said the leaders reviewed bilateral relations and recent developments in West Asia.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Modi repeated India’s consistent position that regional issues should be addressed through “dialogue and diplomacy”.
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“Prime Minister also underlined the need for continued efforts to ensure peace and stability in the region and for safeguarding freedom of navigation and commerce,” Jaiswal said.
The two sides also discussed the safety of commercial shipping, seafarers and civilians amid the ongoing war in the Gulf.
Modi also spoke of India’s readiness to work closely with Iran in multilateral forums, including BRICS and the SCO. He also said he looked forward to welcoming Pezeshkian to India for the BRICS Summit, scheduled to be held in New Delhi from September 12 to September 13.
Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi and other senior Iranian officials were also present at the meeting.