New Delhi, July 21: Carrying forward the new dimension in their bilateral ties, India and Iran today decided to have a meeting of their joint commission at the foreign minister's level in December and soon hold discussions on the issue of transfer of Iranian gas to this country. As part of ongoing high-level contacts, Lok Sabha Speaker Manohar Joshi will visit Iran in October. From the Iranian side the interior minister as well as the chief of judiciary will visit India soon.

The joint committee on transfer of gas to India is expected to meet soon, external affairs ministry spokesman said. This committee would examine the status of the feasibility studies for such transfer.
Visiting Iranian deputy foreign minister Mohsen Aminzadeh today held extensive discussions with foreign secretary Kanwal Sibal lasting five hours as part of the third round of strategic dialogue between the two countries. The dialogue was initiated after the visit of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to Iran in 2001.

Aminzadeh called on external affairs minister Yashwant Sinha and later had a meeting with national security adviser Brajesh Mishra.
The discussions reflected the confidence and strategic orientation of bilateral relationship, the spokesman said.

Bureau Report