India-Iran Ties Under Pressure Amid Chabahar Port Uncertainty and US Sanctions

Iran's Ambassador to India, Dr. Mohammad Fathali, emphasizes strategic ties with India despite heightened US pressures. He highlights the Chabahar Port as a symbol of cooperation. India's continued engagement aims to uphold projects amidst sanctions, while monitoring new US tariffs impacting trade with Iran.

In the midst of escalating tensions between the US and Iran, the Iranian Ambassador to India, Dr. Mohammad Fathali, has voiced support for India's involvement in the development of Chabahar Port. Citing its potential to enhance regional connectivity and trade, Fathali described the collaboration as a strategic project indicating positive engagement between Tehran and New Delhi, despite ongoing sanctions and security challenges.

The geopolitical landscape sees US pressure mounting, evidenced by the recent deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford to join the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Persian Gulf. Yet Ambassador Fathali emphasizes Iran's commitment to deepening economic ties with India across energy, transit, trade, and technology sectors. This comes after India's budget cut funding for port developments, but Iranian diplomacy signals continuity in bilateral efforts.

Chabahar Port's strategic value extends to Afghanistan's reconstruction and its role in boosting economic links with Central Asia. Despite complications, such as the US's revocation and conditional extension of sanctions waivers, India, alongside its Iranian partners, persists in institutionalizing cooperative frameworks to overcome economic barriers, while negotiating with the US for temporary sanctions relief.

(With inputs from agencies.)