India has been developing the port in Chabahar on Iran’s south-eastern coast along the Gulf of Oman as a way to transport goods to Iran, Afghanistan and central Asian countries, bypassing the port of Karachi and Gwadar in its rival Pakistan.U.S. sanctions on Iran, however, slowed the port’s development.
Vital trade artery
“Chabahar Port’s significance transcends its role as a mere conduit between India and Iran; it serves as a vital trade artery connecting India with Afghanistan and Central Asian Countries,” India’s Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said in Tehran, after the signing of the agreement.
U.S. State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel, asked about the deal, told reporters that U.S. sanctions on Iran remain in place and warned that Washington will continue to enforce them.
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Source: Reuters
