The US administration’s withdrawal of sanctions waiver to Iran’s Chabahar port is making India examine the impact of the move. The sanctions regime on the port will come into effect from September 29. While this move takes aim at Iran, it is going to adversely impact India, which has been developing the port to access Afghanistan and Central Asia.
Randhir Jaiswal, Ministry of External Affairs’ spokesperson, Friday said, “Regarding the US statement on Chabahar, in which they have revoked the earlier waiver that was given. We are studying and examining this, to assess what kind of impact it will have on us… We are presently examining the implications that this revocation has for India.”
The move is consistent with US President Donald Trump’s maximum pressure policy to isolate the Iranian regime, US State Department principal deputy spokesperson Thomas Pigott said.
Chabahar is a deep-water port located in the Sistan-Baluchistan province of Iran. It is the closest Iranian port to India, and provides easy and secure access for large cargo ships.
During PM Narendra Modi’s visit to Iran in May 2016, a Trilateral Agreement to establish the International Transport and Transit Corridor (Chabahar Agreement) was signed by India, Iran and Afghanistan. India is participating in the development of the first phase of the Shahid Beheshti Terminal and has, so far, supplied six Mobile Harbour Cranes (two 140 tonnes and four 100 tonnes capacity) and other equipment worth $ 25 million.
