'Chabahar port work to expand even more rapidly after war ends': Iranian envoy to India

Work on the strategically vital Chabahar Port will continue during the ongoing conflict but is set to “expand even more rapidly” after the Middle East war ends, Iran’s ambassador to India Mohammad Fathali said, as per a report by The Times of India.

Fathali told TOI that wartime disruptions are “mere speed bumps” and that Tehran’s “outlook on the future of Iran-India economic relations—even during wartime and especially in the post-war period—remains positive and expansive.”

“Economic cooperation between our two nations is built on mutual interests and trust, and there is significant potential for further development,” he told TOI. Emphasising the port’s importance, he said, “In this regard, the Chabahar Port, as a strategic project, plays a key role in strengthening trade and transit links between Iran, India, and the region.”


For Tehran, the port remains central to its regional strategy and economic outreach. Fathali told TOI, “We believe Chabahar can become a vital hub connecting Central Asia to open waters.”

Located on Iran’s southeastern coast, Chabahar provides India a crucial route to Afghanistan and Central Asia, bypassing Pakistan, which does not allow overland transit for Indian goods.

The project, first proposed in the 1970s under Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, slowed after the 1979 Islamic Revolution but regained focus during the Iran-Iraq War as Iran sought alternative trade routes.

India joined the project around 2003, with the partnership formalised in 2015. During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2016 visit to Tehran, India committed up to $500 million. The agreement, renewed for 10 years in 2024, gives India a key corridor to Central Asia, Russia and Europe.

Under the current phase, India has committed over $350 million in core investments and credit lines for port infrastructure, including equipment and berths, with further expansion plans involving additional funding.

Speaking to ANI, Fathali noted that Chabahar Port is a strategic project of regional and international importance, playing a key role in enhancing regional connectivity, particularly for India’s access to Central Asia.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran remains in continuous contact and consultation with the Indian side, and cooperation in this area is ongoing. We emphasise the continuation and strengthening of these collaborations, independent of external pressures, and hope that project implementation proceeds without interruption," he said.

On India's diplomacy, he said, "India’s call for dialogue and restraint is a commendable and responsible position. We believe that the role of countries like India can be highly effective under these circumstances."

Iran, he said, expects all independent and freedom-seeking countries to explicitly condemn the military and aggressive actions of the United States and the Zionist regime, which have violated its national sovereignty and targeted civilians and civilian infrastructure, including schools, universities, hospitals, residential areas, and economic infrastructure.

Fathali’s remarks to TOI come as India weighs its position under US sanctions on Iran, with a waiver deadline of April 26, 2026 approaching.

Despite geopolitical tensions, the envoy’s comments signal confidence that the Chabahar project will stay on track during the war and accelerate significantly once conditions stabilise.


(With inputs from TOI)