• Source:JND
HighLights
  1. Rubio doubts India-Iran trade deal after Modi-Pezeshkian meet.
  2. Warns countries aiding Iran sanctions evasion face US penalties.
  3. PM Modi committed to strengthening India-Iran ties, diversifying trade.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said he does not believe India and Iran are currently discussing a trade deal. His comments came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

Rubio On PM Modi-Pezeshkian Meeting

During an interview on The Brian Kilmeade Show on Fox News Radio, host Brian Kilmeade suggested that PM Modi and Pezeshkian appeared to be working towards some kind of trade arrangement. Responding to this, Rubio dismissed the idea, saying he did not believe the two countries were discussing a trade deal.

Rubio said countries have the right to maintain their own foreign relations, but warned that helping Iran bypass US sanctions could lead to penalties from Washington. “Well, I don’t think there’s a trade deal between India and Iran. Obviously, there are countries, all develop their own foreign policy, and many countries around the world talk to the Iranian regime, Rubio said.

He also pointed out that the US itself has had contact with representatives of the Iranian government as part of diplomatic discussions. “I mean, we’ve met with elements of the Iranian regime as well, in terms of some of these discussions that have occurred and there’s been contact with them,” Rubio said.

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Rubio Warns Against Helping Iran Bypass Sanctions

Rubio further stressed that US President Donald Trump has clearly stated that other countries should not help Iran avoid American sanctions. He warned that any country involved in helping bypass US sanctions could also face sanctions from Washington. "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. And if countries decide to do that, then we’re going to have to sanction them too," Rubio added.

PM Modi-Pezeshkian Meeting

PM Modi had met Iranian Pezeshkian in Bishkek on Monday on the sidelines of the SCO Summit. It was their first bilateral meeting since the Iran-US conflict began in February. Sharing about the meeting on X, PM Modi said India remains committed to strengthening its long-standing ties with Iran and expanding cooperation across different sectors.

He said the two countries also aim to broaden and diversify their trade in the coming years. PM Modi added that he and Pezeshkian discussed the situation in the region, stressing that India would continue to support efforts aimed at achieving lasting peace.

“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. We had a discussion on the prevailing situation in the region. India will continue to support all efforts aimed at ensuring lasting peace,” PM Modi wrote on X.

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