New Delhi [India], February 13 (ANI): Amid heightened US-Iran tensions and a shifting regional panorama, Ambassador of Iran to India, Dr Mohammad Fathali, on Friday welcomed India’s participation within the Chabahar port improvement, viewing it as a strategic mission with important potential for regional connectivity and commerce enlargement.
Talking to ANI, Fathali described the event of Chabahar Port as a ‘strategic mission’ and an emblem of constructive engagement between Tehran and New Delhi, asserting that bilateral cooperation will proceed regardless of sanctions pressures and regional safety tensions.
‘Iran considers the event of Chabahar Port a strategic mission and an emblem of constructive cooperation between the 2 nations. Chabahar has important potential for regional connectivity and commerce enlargement,’ he stated.
This comes after the US deployed a second plane service, the USS Gerald R. Ford, on Friday to affix the USS Abraham Lincoln within the Persian Gulf/Arabian Sea.
Following the latest Indian funds, which slashed port funding to zero, Fathali stays diplomatic. Regardless of sanctions and safety tensions, Iran seeks to proceed and broaden bilateral financial cooperation with India in vitality, transit, commerce, and know-how, based mostly on mutual pursuits.
‘The Islamic Republic of Iran welcomes the continuation and enlargement of financial cooperation with India and believes there are various alternatives in vitality, transit, commerce, and know-how. Regardless of sanctions and safety tensions, bilateral cooperation will proceed based mostly on mutual pursuits,’ Fathali stated.
Notably, the Chabahar Port mission was conceptualised to supply much-needed connectivity to Afghanistan for its reconstruction and financial improvement, and to spice up commerce and financial linkages with Central Asia.
An Indian firm, India Ports World Restricted (IPGL), by its wholly owned subsidiary, India Ports World Chabahar Free Zone (IPGCFZ), began working the port in 2018.
On 13 Might 2024, IPGL signed a ten-year contract with the Ports and Maritime Organisation of the Islamic Republic of Iran to equip and function the Shahid Beheshti Terminal at Chabahar Port. Underneath the contract, India has fulfilled its dedication to contribute USD 120 million towards the procurement of port gear.
On 16 September 2025, the US State Division revoked the sanctions exception issued in 2018 beneath the Iran Freedom and Counter Proliferation Act of 2012 for Afghanistan’s reconstruction and financial improvement, efficient 29 September 2025.
Following discussions with the US facet, the US issued steerage extending the conditional sanctions waiver till 26 April 2026. The Authorities of India stays engaged with all involved with a view to handle the implications of those developments.
India stated final week that it’s partaking with the USA to make sure that work linked to India’s initiatives at Iran’s Chabahar Port continues beneath a time-bound sanctions waiver from Washington, which is about to run out on April 26 this 12 months.
India can be monitoring developments relating to the 25 per cent extra tariffs introduced by the USA on nations doing enterprise with Iran.
US President Donald Trump posted on Reality Social earlier this month that any nation doing enterprise with Iran will face a 25 per cent tariff. The tariff shall be relevant on ‘any and all enterprise being executed with the USA of America and is efficient instantly,’ Trump stated.
In response to a question, Jaiswal stated that India-Iran bilateral commerce stands at USD 1.6 billion, with exports to Iran at USD 1.2 billion and imports at USD 0.4 billion. (ANI)
