Envoy: Iran's Chabahar Port Strategically Important to India for Exports

Iranian Ambassador to New Delhi Ali Chegeni underlined the importance of Iran's Chabahar port for India to increase its exports to Afghanistan.

Iran’s strategic Chabahar Port is the key to India’s exports to Afghanistan, Chegeni said, addressing a meeting in the Northeastern province of Khorassan Razavi on Tuesday.

He added that India has a great potential to become Iran’s trade partner in various fields.

India has an area two times bigger than Iran and has a population of more than one billion people which is a big market for Iran, Chegeni said.

In relevant remarks in September, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, in meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, referred to the long history of relations between the two countries, and called for the development of bilateral relations in areas of science, economy and research.

During the meeting on the sidelines of 74th UN General Assembly in New York, President Rouhani and Premier Modi exchanged views on bilateral ties.

Pointing to bilateral ties, Rouhani said “As a very important Asian country, India has had long-standing relations with Iran,” adding, “In this regard, we can develop our relations in scientific, research and economic fields between the two countries.”

On the two countries’ efforts to overcome the recent obstacles on the way of banking and energy relations, he appreciated India’s investment in developing the first phase of Chabahar Port, saying, “Today, Iran, India and Afghanistan are enjoying the advantages of this important project, and the region’s current and future generations will benefit from it.”