Geopolitical Analysis

Letter to the Editor, The Hindustan Times:

Sir, This is with to reference to ‘ Hitting a Roadblock’ (HT Oct. 2). Ambassador Yaghoubi of Iran has put his country’s position with remarkable lucidity keeping his cool. India and Iran both are democratic countries.

Their governments have to justify their respective stand in regard to sensitive issues like nuclear weapon whose impact goes beyond national geographical limits. Had Iran been able to convince the EU countries, if not the US, India may have thought twice before casting the vote.

New Delhi made it clear to Iran that notwithstanding Iran’s clandestine acquisition of nuclear technology from Pakistan — a known adversary of India, she conceded the right of Iran to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. Recognizing the long history of common cultural heritage, India never complained to Teheran of subjecting cordial relations to stress and strain by voting against India’s interests in Kashmir in the OIC resolutions not once or twice but at several times.

Reminding his readers of the historicity of Indo-Iranian relations, Ambassador Yaghoubi, fortunately and like an astute statesman, does not underestimate the concerns of India about the nuclearisation of a very sensitive neighbouring region that sits on two-third of world’s energy resource. The time has come when this resource has to be secured against vandalizing or being used as an instrument of intimidation. K.N. Pandita, New Delhi.