Khurshid visiting Iran from Friday

External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid is paying a three-day visit to Iran from Friday, during which development of the Chabahar port that would provide India a vital link to transport its goods to Afghanistan is to figure prominently.

Khurshid is to attend the 17th meeting of the India-Iran Joint Commission May 3-5. He will co-chair the meeting along with his Iranian counterpart Ali Akbar Saleh.

Khurshid is likely to meet Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and would also inaugurate the Indian Culture Centre in Tehran and interact with the Indian community.

Three memorandums of understanding (MoUs) are likely to be inked during Khurshid's visit, it is learnt.

The Indian Cultural Centre is the first being opened in Iran.

India will also seek to reduce the trade imbalance with Iran, with Tehran seeking to import food and medicines.

Afghanistan will figure majorly in the talks with both Iran and India sharing common concerns on the issue. The issue of the Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) gas pipeline is also set to be raised at the meeting.

The two foreign ministers are also to hold bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the commission.