India has confirmed that the United States will not impose its sanctions on the Chabahar Port in Iran for the next six months, allowing New Delhi to continue its investment and operations at the strategic facility uninterrupted.
In a statement on Thursday, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced that US sanctions would be waived for Chabahar Port starting October 29, lifting previous restrictions that had threatened India’s $370 million, 10-year development contract.
“We continue to remain engaged with the US side on finalizing the trade deal. Both sides are continuing to hold discussions. For any further update, I would refer you to the Ministry of Commerce,” MEA spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said.
Previously, the US State Department had announced that the exemption, in place since 2018, would end on September 29, stressing that the move was consistent with the Donald Trump administration's so-called “maximum pressure” policy against Iran.
The revocation meant that any person or company engaged in the port’s operation could be exposed to sanctions.
India operates the Shahid Beheshti terminal at Chabahar, which serves as a vital maritime gateway to Afghanistan, Central Asia and the Indian Ocean.