Tuesday, February 21 2006 12:56 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Congress President Sonia Gandhi today(Feb 21,2006) said Government will always give 'paramount'consideration to protection of the country's interests while dealing with the Iran nuclear issue and Indo-US nuclear deal.

"As Singh (Prime Minister Manmohan Singh) has repeatedly said, our Government will always give paramount consideration to the protection of India's short-term and long-term strategic and national interests," she told a Congress Parliamentary Party meeting here.

Noting that Iran nuclear and Indo-US nuclear deal issues are under "intense public scrutiny", Gandhi said, "We welcome the opportunity for a debate in both the Houses of Parliament."

She said Singh has made a detailed statement giving the complete background to the Government's stand.

The Left parties have castigated the Government for voting against Iran at the recent meeting of the IAEA. It has warned the Government against 'buckling" under the US pressure on the plan to separate its civilian and military nuclear military facilities to implement the nuclear deal.