MEA clarifies Chabahar Port terminal unharmed in US attack, junks damage reports

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday clarified that the Chabahar Port terminal did not suffer any damage, addressing reports that had suggested the strategic Iranian port may have been affected in a recent attack.

Responding to questions during a media briefing in New Delhi, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the government had taken note of the reports but confirmed that the terminal remained intact.

"On your question about the reported attack, yes, we have seen those reports. However, we can confirm that the terminal itself did not suffer any damage," Jaiswal said.


Also Read | US airstrikes on Iran appear to have damaged Chabahar port

The clarification comes after reports that US airstrikes on Friday appeared to have brought down a surveillance tower at Iran's Chabahar port on the Gulf of Oman, a strategically important maritime gateway that serves as a key trade route for Afghanistan.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth shared an image showing the tower apparently collapsing, a visual that had earlier circulated on social media through activist accounts.

Iranian state media acknowledged that the port had come under a third round of US strikes, though it did not immediately confirm the reported collapse of the tower.

Iranian authorities have described the structure as being responsible for monitoring commercial shipping entering the port. The country's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard also maintains a presence at ports across Iran.

Meanwhile, on the status of the Chabahar Port project, Jaiswal said India has remained engaged with relevant stakeholders following the expiry of the US sanctions waiver linked to the project.

"Regarding Chabahar, if you have been following the issue, there was a waiver granted by the American side, which expired some time ago. Since then, we have been in discussions with the relevant stakeholders on how to take this matter forward," he said.

The Chabahar Port in southeastern Iran is of strategic importance to India as it provides access to Afghanistan and Central Asia while bypassing Pakistan. New Delhi has continued diplomatic engagement on the future of the project after the lapse of the US waiver, while maintaining that the operational terminal has not been affected by the latest reported attack.