Tehran, Iran, Oct.10
Trend:
No Iranian port has been assigned to any country, said Iranian Roads and Urban Development Minister Abbas Akhoundi in a meeting of Construction Commission of Iran's parliament.
Speaking on the issue of the Ports and Maritime Organization`s support for the shipping division, Akhoundi referred to the important steps taken in this area, including the repair of old ships, as well as new ships.
The minister provided explanations on Chabahar port and announced that no port has been assigned to any other country.
The Indian ambassador to Tehran on October 3, during a meeting with Iran`s Deputy Minister of Road and Urban Development has informed the three-day meeting of India, Iran and Afghanistan on October 23 in Chabahar port.
'We are currently waiting for Afghanistan's response on its presence in the meeting,' Indian Ambassador to Iran Saurabh Kumar said on October 3rd.
“A delegation of India's Ministry of Shipping and other ministries would attend the meeting,” the Indian diplomat said.
India’s decision to develop Chabahar port comes at the time when the U.S. has imposed sanctions on the Persian Gulf country and is also trying to convince India and other countries to cut oil imports from Iran to zero by November 4 or face sanctions.
Iran is India's third-largest oil supplier after Iraq and Saudi Arabia. The two countries’ current level of trade stands at $13.8 billion. India exports $2.65 billion worth of goods to Iran, while the imports from the Islamic Republic stand at $11.11 billion.
An Indian company is scheduled to invest $ 85 million to equip this port and $ 150 million to finance investments in order to carry Indian goods easily via the port to Afghanistan, Central Asia and Russia.