(IRNA) - Faced with a stand-off with the West over its own nuclear program, Iran Saturday appeared to be supporting India's quest for civilian atomic energy by saying every country has the "right to benefit" from it.
Tehran also does not see growing proximity between India and the US as negatively affecting its ties with New Delhi, reports Trend.
"Nuclear energy is clean and affordable source of energy...It is the right of all countries to benefit from such energy," visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki told reporters here Friday in reply to a question.
He evaded a direct reply when asked whether the US' move to have civil nuclear cooperation with India indicated its (US) double standards by saying Washington has "double standards" all across the world.
Mottaki noted that India's economy was growing at a fast pace and required large amounts of energy.
By 2030, India is expected to need hydrocarbon imports of up to 90 percent of its requirements and only Iran and one or two other countries would then be able to export, he said.
Asked whether the growing Indo-US relations could affect ties between Tehran and New Delhi, Mottaki said: "We are working to build on our very good relations with India....Iran and India will not allow a third country to negatively affect our good relations." India is "indeed a big and great country" which will conduct its relations with other countries based on its national interest, the Iranian minister said.
He also emphasized that "we do not want to have good relations with India that will be against any third country. We don't want that."