The Chabahar port in Iran’s Sistan-Balochistan province was spared from U.S. sanctions to support Afghanistan’s access to the port.
A U.S. State Department spokesperson told Al Jazeera that the “narrow exception” was allowed for “a limited number of activities that support the reconstruction and development of Afghanistan, a key U.S. national security interest.”
This means that despite escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran, both countries see the importance of stabilising Afghanistan.
As a result of this, Afghanistan can continue to use Chabahar port for imports, along with Iranian fuel and goods.
The Chabahar port is a more secure alternative to Pakistan’s Gwadar port which is operated by China.
The U.S. president’s strategy “underscores our ongoing support of Afghanistan’s economic growth and development” the official told Al Jazeera.
