Mounting pressure on the government before the UPA-Left coordination meeting, the Left has said that New Delhi should support Iran on the nuclear issue by abstaining from voting at the IAEA board meeting on November 24.CPM politburo member Sitaram Yechury said after today’s meeting of the Left-led committee that is protesting against the country’s position on Iran that India had frittered away its leadership of the developing world.Yechury said the UPA-Left coordination meeting was likely to be held on October 24, even though all parties concerned were still being contacted. Apart from Iran, the Left’s position on WTO and FDI in retail trade would be taken up for discussion, he said. Today’s meeting was also attended by the Samajwadi Party and the JD(S), apart from representatives of four Left parties.CPI general secretary A B Bardhan, who heads the 14-member committee on Iran, comprising political parties, foreign policy experts and intellectuals, said a background paper had been prepared and a seminar will be held on October 28.
