Iran Offers Ideas to India, Afghanistan for Developing Regional Transit

Addressing the first meeting of the Coordinating Council of the Chabahar Agreement in Tehran on Tuesday, Rastad said the meeting is being held according to the provisions of the trilateral transit agreement between Iran, India and Afghanistan, specifically its Article 9.

The proper positions and status of the three countries have led to creation of close ties between them in various trade and economic areas, said Rastad, who is also the CEO of Ports and Maritime Organization of Iran.

During the meeting, the Iranian official also put forward some suggestions to his Indian and Afghan counterparts, including ways to tap the potential of various transit corridors of the region, especially the north-south corridor, and facilitate and accelerate easy and safe access to the transit routes.

Chabahar is the closest and best access point of Iran to the Indian Ocean and Iran has devised serious plans to turn it into a transit hub for immediate access to markets in the northern part of the Indian Ocean and Central Asia.

The Chabahar Agreement is a regional transport network initiative of the governments of Afghanistan, India, and Iran.

It aims to create a reliable transport corridor for the smooth transport and transit of goods and services through Chabahar Port between the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Republic of India, and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The agreement was signed by the three countries’ high ranking officials in Tehran in May 2016.

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