Tehran, YJC. Chabahar port in south-eastern Iran is going to be the country's new trade hub.
Iran plans to turn its southeastern Chabahar Port into a
trade hub in the near future, an Iranian official says.
At a meeting with Indian Ambassador to Tehran Shri Niraj
Srivastava, Head of Iran's Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and
Agriculture (ICCIMA) Gholam Hossein Shafe'ee pointed to Iran’s development
plans for Chabahar Port and said those investing in the area will have a secure
and promising prospect, Press TV reports.
Shafe'ee pointed to Iran’s emphasis on the rail transport
system, adding that the country plans to connect Mashhad rail road in
northeastern Iran to the western Afghan province of Herat and launch
development projects in Sarakhs special economic zone in northeastern Iran.
Srivastava, for his part, described Chabahar Port as a key
location for the promotion of Iran-India trade and said New Delhi seeks to
participate in development of the area.
The diplomat said that India has allocated USD 300 million
to invest in development of Chabahar Port and the country plans to take part in
development of rail roads from the area and shipping lines in the next steps.
Iran’s Chabahar Port, located 72 kilometers (44 miles) west
of Pakistan’s Gwadar port, holds immense strategic and economic significance
for India.
The port is already connected to the city of Zaranj in
Afghanistan’s southwestern province of Nimruz and can serve as India’s entry
point to Afghanistan, Central Asia and beyond.