Iran accord shows India in poor light: CPI-M

A nuclear pact reached between Iran and the P5 and Germany has exposed the "shortsighted" nature of Indian diplomacy, the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) has said.

"The agreement reached at in Geneva between the P5+1 powers and Iran on the nuclear issue represents a diplomatic breakthrough," said an editorial in the CPI-M organ "People's Democracy".

The interim agreement for six months followed protracted negotiations between Iran on the one hand and the US, Russia, China, France and Britain plus Germany on the other.

Iran has agreed not to enrich uranium beyond 5 percent strength. It will dilute the existing enriched uranium of 20 percent strength. Iran has also agreed to enhanced monitoring and inspection by the IAEA.

In return, the Western powers have agreed to relax some of the sanctions and to release some of the Iranian oil funds which were frozen.

"People's Democracy" noted that the UPA government "acted against India's own interests when it succumbed to US pressure and voted against Iran in the IAEA in September 2005 which enabled the matter to be taken up at the UN Security Council.

"The UPA government went back on the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project. India subsequently caved in to the US pressure of sanctions and India's oil import from Iran was halved."

Till 2011, Iran had been the second biggest supplier of oil to India.

"Now with the US moving for a rapprochement with Iran, India can only rue its shortsighted and craven stance," the CPI-M said.