VOI World/ Desk
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has warned that countries helping Iran bypass American sanctions could themselves face punitive action, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek.
Rubio said he did not believe India and Iran were currently negotiating a trade deal, while acknowledging that countries were free to conduct their own foreign policies. However, he drew a clear distinction between diplomatic engagement with Tehran and helping it create economic mechanisms to circumvent US sanctions.
Modi and Pezeshkian had discussed bilateral relations, trade and the situation in West Asia. Modi reiterated India’s commitment to its long-standing friendship with Iran and said New Delhi wanted to expand and diversify the bilateral trade basket.
The US warning highlights the diplomatic balancing act facing India. New Delhi has maintained historic ties with Tehran while simultaneously deepening its strategic and economic relationship with Washington.
For now, Rubio did not accuse India of violating sanctions. But his remarks underline Washington’s position that any arrangement helping Iran generate revenue in defiance of US restrictions could trigger consequences.
