During their meeting on Capitol Hill on Thursday, Lantos had been fed some misinformation that India was training Iranian naval personnel on board two Iranian frigates anchored off the coast of Kochi.
Lantos, in early September at a Congressional hearing, had gone ballistic before the votes on referring Iran to the United Nations Security Council at the board of governors meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency. He had warned India that the civilian nuclear deal would be toast unless India played ball with the US on censuring Iran.
Again, he had warned that if there was any credence to this information, he had received, it would necessarily undermine any support for the US-India nuclear deal, which he supported.
Saran, in an abbreviated press conference at the Indian embassy, following his three days meetings with senior admistration officials and US lawmakers on the US-India civilian nuclear agreement, said, "The concern expressed was about a ship visit to one of the southern Indian ports and somehow, somebody had given the impression that India is engaged in training the Iranian navy or there were some exercises that took place, which is completely misleading."
The foreign secretary said he had explained to Lantos, that this was one of several courtesy visits, which take place from countries all over the globe. This was an Iranian training naval ship, which made a port call, which is a very normal activity.
"So I pointed out to Mr Lantos that such apprehensions were completely misplaced," noted Saran.
For Lantos, and the majority of lawmakers on Capitol Hill, India's relations with Iran is viewed with deep suspicion and constantly put under the microscope, with support for or against the US-India nuclear deal held over New Delhi's head like the Sword of Damocles if India were to stray.
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