Chabahar port will enhance trade ties among regional countries, says Rouhani

Hassan Rouhani calls up Afghan president to express sorrow over deaths in terror attacks

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has said that inauguration of the India-funded Chabahar port “in near future” and the connection of Iran-Afghanistan railway networks to the International North–South Transport Corridor will enhance trade relations among regional countries.

The North–South corridor is a 7,200-kilometre-long multi-mode network of ship, rail, and road route which connects India, Iran, Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Central Asia and Europe.

The Iranian leader, who called up his Afghan counterpart Ashraf Ghani on Thursday, also called for efforts to restore calm to Afghanistan, hailing the Kabul government’s vigilance against divisive enemy plots in the region, Iran’s Press TV reported.



President Rouhani expressed sorrow over the deaths of Afghan people in terrorist attacks in the country.

“Fortunately, the Afghan government has adopted prudent positions in line with maintaining unity and neutralising the plots aimed at sowing discord in the region.”

“The Islamic Republic of Iran calls for peace, stability and sustainable security in Afghanistan and considers it in line with promotion of its own security and to the benefit of the regional peace and stability,” he added.

Rouhani underlined the need for an all-out campaign against narcotics production and trafficking, calling for extensive international cooperation to eradicate the phenomenon.



Rouhani stressed the importance of the promotion of Tehran-Kabul economic ties.

On his part, the Afghan president underscored the importance of stronger unity among Shia and Sunni in Afghanistan, noting that Kabul will never allow enemies to create division in the country.

He also stressed Afghanistan’s determination to counter narcotics and called for the enhancement of relations with Iran in all areas.