Pakistan

Iran 'ready to connect Gwadar to Chabahar port'

Iranian FM Javad Zarif meets Pakistan's civil-military leadership in Islamabad

Xinhua May 24, 2019

iranian foreign minister javad zarif met pakistan 039 s foreign minister shah mehmood qureshi on august 31 2018 during a two day visit to the country photo file

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif met Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on August 31,2018 during a two-day visit to the country. PHOTO:FILE

TEHRAN: Iran says it is ready to connect Pakistan's Gwadar port with Chabahar port to promote trade and commerce in the region.

The proposal was put forward by Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, who met Pakistan's civil-military leadership in Islamabad on Friday, reported Press TV.

"I've come here with a proposal for the government of Pakistan for connection between Chabahar and Gwadar... We believe that Chabahar and Gwadar can complement each other," Zarif was quoted as saying.

"We can connect Chabahar and Gwadar, and then through that connect Gwadar to our entire railroad system, from Iran to the North Corridor, through Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, and also through Azerbaijan, Russia, and through Turkey."

Iran, India and Afghanistan signed a trilateral transit agreement in Tehran in May 2016, which allows the three countries to open new routes of connection by converting Chabahar port into a transit hub.

The port in Chabahar, only about 100 kilometres from the Pakistan border and located on the Indian Ocean, is Iran's largest outside the Gulf.

It is also the only Iranian port with exemptions from economic sanctions re-imposed by the United States in 2018.

COMMENTS (2)

Sophie | 5 years ago | Reply Iran is in desperate economic straits and their motivation is clear .... what is unclear is what Pakistan has to gain by furthering ties with Iran. Closer ties with Iran doesn't have much upside for Pakistan. Why would we want to upset Saudi Arabia and its allies who actually provide us with significant/essential economic assistance?

Bunny Rabbit | 5 years ago | Reply Its better if these countries tie to each other and establish good relations among themselves instead of waiting for US's or Russia's approval .

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