Iran President Pezeshkian: Ties With PM Modi Improving Steadily, Says Iranian President Amid BRICS Summit Visit

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said that relations between Tehran and New Delhi are improving steadily under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in remarks made on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit currently underway in New Delhi.

On the viral photograph with PM Modi

A photograph of Pezeshkian and PM Modi walking hand-in-hand after the start of the BRICS summit had drawn considerable attention. Asked about the image, Pezeshkian said that ties with PM Modi had been improving continuously since he assumed the presidency of Iran. He added that Iran was working every day to strengthen its relationship with India, and referred to the two countries' long-standing cultural ties.

First India visit since becoming president in 2024

Pezeshkian became President of Iran in 2024, and this is his first visit to India since then. He arrived in New Delhi to take part in the BRICS Summit. The visit comes at a time when tensions between Iran and the United States have flared up again — the two sides had paused hostilities briefly in August, before attacks resumed from both directions.

Rising tension over the Strait of Hormuz

The Strait of Hormuz remains a key flashpoint in the ongoing Iran-US tensions. It is one of the world's most important maritime routes, with around 20 per cent of global energy supplies passing through it. Despite the prevailing tensions, India has maintained its ties with Iran, alongside its trade and strategic relationships with Gulf nations, and has sought to keep its relationships with both sides in balance.

Focus on strengthening ties with India

Pezeshkian also underlined the importance of the long-standing relationship between India and Iran, citing decades of cooperation in trade, culture and regional matters, including on the Chabahar Port. His remarks came as PM Modi held a series of bilateral meetings with world leaders on the sidelines of the BRICS summit. The Iranian president's visit is being seen as significant for advancing ties between the two countries. Pezeshkian made these remarks in an interview with India Today, discussing India-Iran relations and his meeting with PM Modi.