First phase of strategic Chabahar port, party developed by India, inaugurated by Iranian President
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani today inaugurated the first phase of Chabahar port on the Gulf of Oman, which will open up a new strategic transit route among Iran, India and Afghanistan, bypassing Pakistan.
Representatives from India, Afghanistan and several other countries of the region were present during the inauguration of the port in Iran’s southeastern Sistan- Baluchestan Province.
The first phase of the Chabahar port project, known as the Shahid Beheshti port, will bring the capacity of the port to 8.5 million tonnes of cargo annually, from the previous 2.5 million tonnes.
The port has been built by Iran in cooperation with India and is being seen as a rival to Gwadar Port, some 80 kilometres away across the border in Pakistan, which Islamabad is building with the help from China.
Rouhani, however, downplayed the rivalry and said the port will bring “more engagement and unity” among regional countries.
“We should go after positive competition,” he said in his inauguration speech. “We welcome other ports in the region, we welcome Gwadar’s development.”
Iran also plans to link the port to the country’s railroad network to facilitate transit of goods to neighbouring landlocked Central Asian countries, as well as open a route to eastern and …read more
