New Delhi: Iran Wednesday called for stepping up cooperation between the Iranian and Indian media and underlined the need to have a bigger presence of Indian journalists in Tehran. Iran is keen to have a greater presence of Indian mediapersons in that country, Iranian Vice Minister and Foreign Ministry spokesperson Seyed Mohammad Ali Hosseini told Information and Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi.

More cooperation in the media sector will further strengthen the traditional friendship between the two countries, Hosseini said, adding that such a step will reinforce historical and cultural linkages between the two countries. More interaction with the Iranian media could project the Indian viewpoint to the Iranian people in a more effective manner, he said.

He also suggested the establishment of a friendship society between India and Iran that will bridge information deficit and promote greater people-to-people contacts between the two countries. Hosseni and other senior Iranian officials are visiting India to get a feel of the Indian media environment and project the Iranian stance on crucial issues like the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline and the Iranian civil nuclear energy programme that is accused by the West of developing nuclear weapons.

Dasmunsi assured Hosseini that India will look into the Iranian proposal for cooperation in the media sector. Providing a broad overview of the vibrant media scene in India, Dasmunsi said that freedom of the media was guaranteed by the Indian constitution and is one of the pillars of Indian democracy.

The government never gives any dictation or direction to the media, Dasmunsi emphasised to Hosseini, according to a statement from the information and broadcasting ministry.

Source : IANS