India/Iran

ABU DHABI: India on Monday backed Iran's "peaceful" nuclear programme and said New Delhi would continue its "significant" engagement with Tehran since the oil-rich nation is an important-role player in the Middle East.

External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who is on a three-day visit to UAE, said India fully supports Iran's attempt to develop "its knowledge-base pertaining to the harnessing of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes."

"However, it has to be, in accordance with its own international commitments and obligations, satisfy the international community that its programme is indeed peaceful," Mukherjee said, speaking on "India's Foreign Policy and India-Gulf relations - Meeting and Challenges of the 21st century".

He said India believed that the most effective platform to address the nuclear issue is the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).