Iran Shifts Toward India With Port Deal to Tap Afghan Riches

Iran took a step closer to energy-hungry Asian nations India and Afghanistan as it looks to recover from a decade of international sanctions.

The Persian Gulf nation signed a three-nation agreement on Monday to develop its southern Chabahar port, a project first proposed in 2003 that had been suspended following the tightening of sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Afghan leader Ashraf Ghani visited Tehran to finalize the deal.

“With our joint investments in Chabahar we can connect India through a reliable route to Afghanistan and countries in Central Asia,” Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said in a televised press conference with the two leaders. “The agreement today is not only an economic document: It’s also a political and a regional one.” Read more…