NEW DELHI, Sept 9: India said on Friday it wanted differences between Iran and the United States on Tehran’s nuclear activities to be resolved through talks, as New Delhi walks a diplomatic tightrope in its ties with both nations. India has traditionally had strong ties with Iran and is looking to Tehran to partially offset India’s huge appetite for energy. It is planning an ambitious $7-8 billion pipeline project with Iran that would run through Pakistan.

But India’s relations with Washington have also expanded on the strategic, economic and high-technology levels after New Delhi was quick to back the US war on terror after the Sept 11 attacks.

“India is against proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. We have said Iran, just as any other country, should live to its commitments and obligations (on nuclear activities),” Indian Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran told a news conference.

“These matters should be resolved through discussions and not through confrontation.”

The stakes are high for New Delhi. In July, in a symbol of warming ties, Washington promised nuclear-armed India full cooperation in developing its civil nuclear programme.

But key aspects of the deal have to be approved by the US Congress and several American lawmakers said on Wednesday the agreement was at risk if New Delhi did not work with Washington to punish Iran for its nuclear activities. —Reuters