Prime Minister Narendra Modi left for Iran on a two-day official visit, during which the trilateral agreement between India , Iran and Afghanistan to develop the Chabahar port in that Gulf nation will be signed. Modi will be accorded an official welcome in Tehran on Monday following which he will hold talks with Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Hosseini Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani .

Connectivity, energy security and bilateral trade are on top of Modi’s agenda during his visit which comes a little over a month and a half of his trip to Saudi Arabia. The prime minister will also inaugurate an Indian cultural festival in Iran.

The visit will feature discussion on terrorism in the region as well as extended neighbourhood.  It will also focus on New Delhi’s desire to secure energy assets for a fast growing economy.  After reaching Tehran, PM Modi will visit a Gurudwara there.

Did You Know?

• The official name of Iran is the Islamic republic of Iran. In 1979, the supreme leader Ayatollah Khomeini and the religious clerics assumed power after overthrowing the monarchy.
• The capital of Iran is the city of Tehran. It also happens to be the largest city in Iran.
• The word Iran means ‘The land of Aryans’ in Persian.
• Iran has civilizations right from 4000 BC making it one of the world’s oldest and continuous civilizations.
• 89% Shia Muslims and 9% Sunni Muslims make up the 98% of the population, making Islam dominant religion.
• The rest of the population consists of people following Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity, and the Baha’i.