India, Iran discuss ways to enhance people-to-people contact

India and Iran explored ways to further enhance people-to-people contact and promote friendly exchanges during a joint consular committee meeting here. In the meeting on Tuesday, the two sides discussed issues of mutual interest, including the early conclusion of an agreement on mutual legal assistance on civil and commercial matters and extending the longer duration of e-visa to people of the two countries, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

It said the 11th joint consular committee meeting primarily focused on reviewing the status of ongoing cooperation in consular and visa related issues. "The meeting provided an opportunity to review the status of ongoing cooperation in consular and visa related issues and to discuss ways and means to further expand people to people contacts and promote friendly exchanges between India and Iran," the MEA said.

The Indian delegation was led by Amit Narang, Joint Secretary in the MEA, while the Iran delegation was headed by Ali Asghar Mohammadi, Director General for Consular Affairs in Iranian Foreign Ministry. "Both sides discussed issues of mutual interest including the early conclusion of Agreement on Mutual Legal Assistance on civil and commercial matters, extending the longer duration of e-visa for each other's nationals on reciprocity, visa facilitation for greater people to people contacts," the MEA said.