WASHINGTON: The US State Department said on Monday that India’s deal with Iran for developing and operating the Chabahar port was not exempted from US sanctions, but did not say if Washington plans to impose sanctions on New Delhi over this agreement.

India announced earlier on Monday that it has signed a 10-year contract with Iran to develop and operate the Iranian port.

At the State Department briefing, when spokesperson Vedant Patel was informed about the deal, he said: “We are aware of these reports that Iran and India have signed a deal concerning the Chabahar port. I will let the government of India speak to its own foreign policy goals vis-à-vis the Chabahar port as well as its own bilateral relationship with Iran.”

Explaining the Ameri­can position on the deal, he said the US sanctions on Iran “remain in place and we will continue to enforce them”. Asked if India was given exemption from the sanctions for this deal, Mr Patel said, “No.”

Published in Dawn, May 14th, 2024