Washington DC: The United States has provided a “narrow exemption” to India from sanctions on Chabahar project in Iran as it plays a vital role in transporting India’s humanitarian supplies to war-torn Afghanistan, said a senior State Department official.
The official was speaking in the India-US 2+2 ministerial dialogue when the official said, “we have provided a narrow exemption for the development of Chabahar that allows for the construction of the port and the rail line that allows for the export of refined oil products to Afghanistan. All of this is contingent on there not being any IRGC involvement in the economic activity or IRGC-related entities being involved in those activities.”
“We recognise that Chabahar potetially plays an important role as a lifeline to Afghanistan in terms for India to be able to export humanitarian supplies and potentially helping Afghanistan diversify its export opportunities. That was the reason that drove the Chabahar exemption, and we continue to support it,” the official added.