Iran is studying the question of joining the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi said yesterday. "That has been in the talks for some time," he said in response to questions after a lecture on India-Iran relations at the Indian Council of World Affairs here whether Tehran's membership of the seven-nation club came up during his talks with Indian leaders. "We are studying the question of accession to SAARC," he said. He referred to Iran's borders with South Asia and said the country could provide the region with East-West connectivity. He did not say whether any of the seven SAARC member nations — India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and the Maldives — had extended Iran an invitation. There has been a move by Pakistan and Bangladesh to get China as a SAARC member, but India and Bhutan have reservations about it. Under the SAARC charter all decisions have to be unanimous.