Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi urged India to continue its work on the Chabahar port during diplomatic discussions in Delhi last month [1].
The request comes as India faces significant diplomatic pressure to balance its strategic interests in Central Asia against the risk of violating U.S. sanctions. The port serves as a critical transit point for Indian goods to bypass Pakistan and reach Afghanistan, and beyond.
Araghchi visited Delhi on April 27-28, 2026, to address the future of the project [2]. The timing of the visit followed the expiration of a U.S. sanctions waiver for the Chabahar port on April 26, 2026 [3]. Without this waiver, continued investment and operation of the port could expose Indian entities to U.S. penalties.
Araghchi said the port is a "golden gateway to Central Asia" [1]. He said the project is "one of the symbols of cooperation between Iran and India" [1]. The Iranian minister said that abandoning the port would undermine regional connectivity and the strategic partnership between the two nations [1].
The Indian government has not yet announced a final decision on the port's operational status. A spokesperson for the Indian Ministry of External Affairs said the issue is under discussion with both Iran and the United States [3].
While Iran emphasizes the port as a symbol of cooperation, other regional observers have questioned the project's viability. Some reports suggest the project could collapse entirely given the current sanctions environment [4]. However, the Iranian government continues to push for the port's development to ensure its own economic integration with South Asia [1].
“"Golden gateway to Central Asia"”
The expiration of the U.S. sanctions waiver places India in a precarious position. By maintaining the Chabahar port, India secures a strategic trade route to Central Asia and a geopolitical foothold in the region. However, doing so without a formal waiver risks damaging its critical economic and security relationship with the U.S. The outcome will likely depend on whether the U.S. views the port as a legitimate humanitarian and economic corridor or as a loophole for Iranian sanctions evasion.
