Chabahar Port will be the golden gateway for connectivity: Iran ambassador
11 Feb 2023 16:10:21
New Delhi, Feb 11: Iran's ambassador to India, Iraj Elahi, emphasized the strong economic relationship between the two nations in a speech at the Iranian Embassy in New Delhi on Friday. He was addressing a gathering on the 44th anniversary of the Iranian Revolution and spotlighted the "golden gateway" that is Chabahar port.
"Chabahar port is considered as the golden gateway connecting the countries along the Indian Ocean to Central Asia and the Caucasus," Elahi said, adding that "connectivity has been and is another field of cooperation between Iran and India."
The Chabahar port in Iran is crucial to India's connectivity in the western direction and has previously been used to supply humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. India is developing the first phase of Shahid Beheshti Port in Chabahar and has provided six mobile harbor cranes to the port. Since its inauguration in December 2018, the port has received cargo from several countries, including Russia, Brazil, Germany, Bangladesh, Thailand, Romania, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Australia. "Although external pressures have caused problems in the trading ties between the two countries," Elahi stated, "We believe that India's strategic autonomy is still the biggest support for the continuation of this cooperation." Iran is eager to export oil to India, but US sanctions on Tehran have impeded free flow.
The Indian Minister of Shipping, Sarbananda Sonowal, was in attendance at the event and expressed support for strengthened economic ties between the two nations.