TEHRAN (TCA) — Iran, India and Afghanistan have signed a key trilateral deal, known as the Chabahar agreement, to establish a strategic transit and transport route connecting the three countries, Iran’s PressTV news agency reported.
The agreement was signed in the presence of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in the Iranian capital Tehran on May 23.
Addressing reporters after the signing ceremony, Rouhani said that the deal between Tehran, New Delhi and Kabul sends the message that countries in the region can make progress through cooperation and tapping into regional opportunities.
“Today’s document is not only an economic document, rather [it] is a political document and a regional document and the document’s message is that regional countries should use regional opportunities to develop and strengthen the whole of the region,” Rouhani said.
Highlighting the significance of Chabahar Port, the Iranian president said it can connect India to Afghanistan and Central Asian states.
“With joint investment and activity in Chabahar, we can connect India via a secure route to Afghanistan and the Central Asian and Caucasus states,” he pointed out.
He said that other countries have the opportunity to join the agreement in the future.
Chabahar is located in the Gulf of Oman on the border with Pakistan. It is Iran’s closest and best access point to the Indian Ocean.
The port will be a game changer for regional connectivity, especially for Afghanistan, which can find an assured and reliable alternative access to India by sea.
The route will also significantly enhance prospects for India’s connectivity with Afghanistan, Central Asia and beyond through synergies with other initiatives in the region such as the North-South transport corridor.
