Kharrazi during the meeting referring to the special status of both countries in the region, said, "Iran-India's historic, cultural, and civilizational relations urge us to take long strides towards improving the level of Tehran-New Delhi relations quite drastically."

Referring to the role played by both Iran and India in regional developments, the Iranian foreign minister said, "Tehran and New Delhi have always played strategic roles in promoting peace and stability at regional and international scenes and both continue to do so."

The Iranian top diplomat added, "The other common ground between our countries is that Tehran and New Delhi have often adopted similar stands on regional and international crises."

Referring to the long experience of democracy in both Iran and India, the Iranian foreign minister expressed hope that the two sides would exchange useful and up-to-date information on their experience in peaceful coexistence among members of various ethnic groups and followers of various cultures, thus helping each other in process towards social advancement and development.

Kharrazi said, "Iran wants both sides to try hard and finalize the Iran-India natural gas pipeline through Pakistan, as well as the other shared activities our two nations can have in energy field, such as the LNG projects, discovering new oil and gas fields, and oil excavation."

Indian National Security Adviser Dixit, too, during the meeting referring to Iran's sensitive and key role in regional developments, said, "India wants to maintain continuous consultations with Iran's national security council on various regional developments."

He added, "New Delhi is quite pleased with the consultations it has had with Tehran on Iraq and Afghanistan developments and wishes such consultations to continue."

Dixit also asked Iran for increasing the import-export capacity of its Chabahar Port, as well as the roads connecting the two countries, in order to improve the bilateral economic and business transactions.

The Indian National Security Advisor at the end stressed on Iran's natural right to be benefitted from nuclear energy for peaceful purposes and expressed hope that the two countries' fruitful cooperation within the International Atomic energy Agency (IAEA) would continue in the future.

Kharrazi arrived in New Delhi for an official two-day visit to hold talks with Indian officials on Sunday night.

Kharrazi, heading a high level political-economic delegation, conferred with Indian Foreign Minister Natwar Singh, on Monday morning and with the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh earlier in the evening."