NEW DELHI: US warned India of “potential risks of sanctions” a day after it signed a long-term agreement with Tehran for operating a terminal at the strategic Chabahar port in Iran that will see it investing $120 million in further equipping the port.
India sees the Chabahar port as an important hub for connecting the landlocked countries of Central Asia and Afghanistan with its economy.US had earlier promised a “narrow exemption” for India to facilitate development of the port.
Responding to queries at a media briefing, the US State Department said that that any entity, anyone considering business deals with Iran, needs to be aware of “the potential risk that they are opening themselves up to and the potential risk of sanctions”.
“We’re aware of these reports that Iran and India have signed a deal concerning the Chabahar port. I will let Govt of India speak to its own foreign policy goals vis-a-vis the Chabahar port as well as its own bilateral relationship with Iran,” state department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters.
“I will just say, as it relates to the United States, US sanctions on Iran remain in place and we’ll continue to enforce them,” he added.
The US has said in the past that it provided a narrow exemption to India for the development of Chabahar, allowing for construction of the port and the rail line that allows for the export of refined oil products to Afghanistan. This waiver though was to be contingent on there not being any IRGC involvement in the economic activity or IRGC-related entities being involved in those activities.
This is the first time India will take over the management of an overseas port. “The long-term bilateral contract on Chabahar Port Operation was signed between Indian Ports Global Ltd (IPGL) of India and the Port & Maritime Organisation (PMO) of Iran, enabling operation of Shahid-Beheshti in Chabahar Port Development Project for a period of 10 years. This agreement aims to facilitate trade, particularly between India, Iran and Afghanistan,” said GoI on Monday.
India sees the Chabahar port as an important hub for connecting the landlocked countries of Central Asia and Afghanistan with its economy.US had earlier promised a “narrow exemption” for India to facilitate development of the port.
Responding to queries at a media briefing, the US State Department said that that any entity, anyone considering business deals with Iran, needs to be aware of “the potential risk that they are opening themselves up to and the potential risk of sanctions”.
“We’re aware of these reports that Iran and India have signed a deal concerning the Chabahar port. I will let Govt of India speak to its own foreign policy goals vis-a-vis the Chabahar port as well as its own bilateral relationship with Iran,” state department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters.
“I will just say, as it relates to the United States, US sanctions on Iran remain in place and we’ll continue to enforce them,” he added.
The US has said in the past that it provided a narrow exemption to India for the development of Chabahar, allowing for construction of the port and the rail line that allows for the export of refined oil products to Afghanistan. This waiver though was to be contingent on there not being any IRGC involvement in the economic activity or IRGC-related entities being involved in those activities.
This is the first time India will take over the management of an overseas port. “The long-term bilateral contract on Chabahar Port Operation was signed between Indian Ports Global Ltd (IPGL) of India and the Port & Maritime Organisation (PMO) of Iran, enabling operation of Shahid-Beheshti in Chabahar Port Development Project for a period of 10 years. This agreement aims to facilitate trade, particularly between India, Iran and Afghanistan,” said GoI on Monday.
Source Agencies
