Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Friday urged India to continue its work at Chabahar Port despite mounting US sanctions, calling the project a key symbol of Tehran–New Delhi cooperation and a strategic gateway for regional trade.
Speaking to reporters after the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ meeting, Araghchi praised India’s role in developing the Iranian port and stressed its long-term economic importance. He described Chabahar as a “golden gate” that could give India direct access to Afghanistan, Central Asia, the Caucasus and Europe while providing those regions a route to the Indian Ocean.
Araghchi acknowledged that investment momentum has slowed after the US sanctions waiver expired on April 26, noting the restrictive impact on bilateral cooperation. New Delhi, however, had signed a landmark 10-year agreement in 2024 to operate the Shahid Beheshti terminal, underscoring India’s strategic interest in the corridor that bypasses Pakistan.
Despite current challenges, the foreign minister urged India to remain committed so the port can be fully developed “in the service of the interests of India and other countries around.” He also commended India’s balanced regional diplomacy and suggested New Delhi is well placed to act as a peacemaker in the Persian Gulf, where tensions tied to US–Iran relations persist.
On the broader regional outlook, Araghchi warned against militarized approaches, saying there is no military solution to issues involving Iran and that Tehran does not yield to pressure. He singled out the Trump administration as a major obstacle to regional stability and described ceasefire prospects as fragile.
The comments, reported by ANI, underscore Tehran’s appeal to India to look past near-term constraints and help realise Chabahar’s potential as a commercial and diplomatic bridge between South Asia, Central Asia and Europe.
