Hours after India and Iran signed a Long-term Main Contract for the development of Shahid Beheshti Port Terminal, Chabahar, the United States of America has warned India with sanctions. On 13th May 2024, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and AYUSH, Sarbananda Sonowal visited Chabahar, Iran to witness the signing of the between India Port Global Limited (IPGL) and Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) of Iran.

The Ministry of Shipping stated that Sonowal later held a fruitful bilateral meeting with his counterpart H.E. Mehrdad Bazrpash, Minister of Roads and Urban Development of Iran where the Ministers recalled the common vision of their leaders to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in connectivity initiatives and in making Chabahar Port a regional connectivity hub.

The Ministerial visit and signing of the Long-term Contract will further strengthen ties between the two nations and highlights the importance of Chabahar as a gateway for trade with Afghanistan and broader Central Asian countries, the Ministry added.

Later, addressing a press briefing at Washington, Vedant Patel, Principal Deputy Spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State, stated that the US is aware of the signing of the contract between India and Iran and asserted that US would continue to enforce sanctions on Iran.

“…. anyone considering business deals with Iran, they need to be aware of the potential risk that they are opening themselves up to and the potential risk of sanctions,” Patel said.

Today, a Long-term Contract for development of Shahid Beheshti Port Terminal, Chabahar, an India-Iran flagship project, was signed between IPGL & Ports & Maritime Organization of Iran. Chabahar Port is a gateway for trade with Afghanistan & broader Central Asian countries. pic.twitter.com/YP8Lt4Z9pV

— Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (@shipmin_india) May 13, 2024