Reuters: US Withdrawal from JCPOA Puts Chabahar Project at Risk

Reuters reports that the Trump administration's withdrawal from the nuclear agreement and the imminent return of sanctions against Iran have jeopardized the Chabahar project, part of which aimed to assist in the reconstruction of Afghanistan's economy. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Iran after the nuclear agreement between Iran, the Obama administration, and five other world powers, signing dozens of contracts including one for the Chabahar port project. New Delhi aims to use the Chabahar port to access the Central Asian and Afghan markets; however, even in the past two years, the construction of this transit route has progressed slowly due to concerns over Trump's administration's decisions regarding the JCPOA. Trump had called for reforms to the JCPOA, which faced opposition from the Islamic Republic and ultimately led to the Trump administration's exit from the nuclear agreement. Reuters states that the Chabahar project could potentially pave the way for millions of dollars in trade with Afghanistan and reduce Kabul's current dependence on Pakistan. The US government has explicitly criticized Pakistan's actions, including its 'interference' in Afghanistan's affairs and providing 'safe havens' for terrorist groups, which Islamabad denies. Reuters further adds that the reconstruction of Afghanistan's economy could lessen Kabul's reliance on foreign aid and significantly impact the lucrative opium trade by the Taliban. Late last year, Tolo News reported that the Iranian government had issued operating licenses for 165 Afghan companies to invest and operate in the Chabahar free trade zone. A senior Indian diplomat told Reuters, 'Trump's decision [to withdraw from the nuclear agreement] has taken us back to square one, and we need to renegotiate the terms of using Chabahar.' According to this Indian diplomat, the Chabahar project 'was a route that could transform trade among India, Iran, and Afghanistan, but currently, everything is in a state of uncertainty.' The White House has not yet responded to Reuters' request for comment on this report. It is said that the Chabahar project is also significant in the context of strategic competition between India and China; Hussein Aryan notes in a piece for Radio Farda that 'India has prepared its own special string in response to China's strategy in the Indian Ocean known as the 'String of Pearls,' which includes the Chabahar port, the Duqm port (in Oman), Assumption Island (Seychelles), Agalega Island (Mauritius), and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (part of India in the Bay of Bengal, west of Myanmar).' The Chabahar port is located about 100 kilometers from Pakistan's Gwadar port, which China is currently developing. India views both China and Pakistan as rivals. India has committed to investing $500 million in the Chabahar port and exported its first shipment of goods through this port in the Oman Sea to Afghanistan last November.