Odishatv Bureau
Mumbai: Iran on Monday said it is keen to expand business ties with India in areas like energy resources and industries and increase bilateral trade volume from the current levels of USD 15 billion.

Ali Ardashir Larijani, Speaker of Iranian Parliament (Majlis), said his country's business leaders want to boost ties with India and expressed the hope New Delhi will provide them ample opportunity to do so and realise their potential.

Stressing the need for greater academic collaboration between the two countries, he said addressing small issues like expediting issuance of student visas will help more students from Iran to study in India.

Complimenting India for achieving significant progress in various areas during the last few years, Larijani said Parliament of Iran is determined to enhance and facilitate relations with India so that trade volume between the two nations increases from the current levels of USD 15 billion.

Bilateral trade can be enhanced by increasing cooperation in areas like energy resources and industries, the top Iranian leader said during a meeting with Maharashtra Governor K Sankaranarayanan at Raj Bhavan here.

Larijani, accompanied by a large delegation of Parliamentarians and Ministers, is on a visit to India.

The Iranian Speaker recalled that social, cultural, educational and trade relations between Iran and India are deeply rooted in history and both the nations have influenced the cultures of each other during these contacts.

He said people of Iran and India have a lot of commonalities such as morality, ethics and family values.

Welcoming the Speaker, the Governor informed him that nearly 8000 Iranian students are studying in various universities in Maharashtra. Sankaranarayanan expressed the hope that cultural and educational relations between India and Iran will further increase in the years to come.

Larijani will be in Delhi today to hold wide- ranging discussions with top Indian leaders.

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