India–Iran relations

Common card · No. 440318

The Republic of India and the Islamic Republic of Iran maintain a bilateral relationship. Independent India and Iran established diplomatic relations on 15 March 1950. Contact between both ancient Persia and ancient India date to ancient times, and can be seen through the diffusion of Persian culture among the Islamic culture in much of South Asia; furthermore, around 15% of the Muslims in India are Shia, a group Iran considers itself to represent on the world stage. Outside the Islamic community, the impact of Persian culture has primarily been in northwest India. During much of the Cold War, relations between India and the erstwhile Imperial State of Iran suffered due to their differing political interests: India endorsed a non-aligned position but fostered strong links with the Soviet Union, while Iran was an open member of the Western Bloc and enjoyed close ties with the United States. While India did not welcome the 1979 Islamic Revolution, relations between the two states strengthened...

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