U.S. Announces Revocation of Sanctions Waivers on India

(MENAFN) The United States has officially withdrawn the sanctions waivers granted to India in 2018 for its activities at Iran’s strategically vital Chabahar Port. Situated in southeastern Iran along the Gulf of Oman, this key seaport offers India a critical trade passage to Russia, Afghanistan, and Central Asia, circumventing Pakistan.

This move, revealed on Tuesday under the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act (IFCA), is part of Washington’s intensified “maximum pressure” strategy targeting Tehran. The revocation takes effect from September 29.

“Once the revocation is effective, persons who operate the Chabahar Port or engage in other activities described in IFCA may expose themselves to sanctions under IFCA,” the US State Department warned in an official statement.

Earlier this year, in February, the US issued an executive order aimed at ramping up “maximum economic pressure” to “impose sanctions on the Iranian government, aiming to restrict its access to funds, including those generated through oil exports, ports, and related businesses.”

In 2024, India and Iran formalized an agreement permitting New Delhi to equip and run the Shahid Beheshti terminal at Chabahar Port for the next ten years. This port serves as a pivotal hub within the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), a project jointly developed by India, Iran, and Russia to establish an alternative shipping route bypassing the Suez Canal.

The INSTC’s Trans-Caspian Route extends from Russia’s Astrakhan across the Caspian Sea to Iran’s Bandar-e-Anzali, traversing Iran to reach Chabahar Port, and onward to Mumbai. Additionally, two alternative corridors connect Iran and Russia through Azerbaijan and Central Asia.

Following the February waiver announcement, India reaffirmed its commitment to the Chabahar collaboration. At an event commemorating the 46th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution of Iran, Indian diplomat Jaideep Mazumdar highlighted regional connectivity as a “crucial” pillar of bilateral relations. He emphasized that the Chabahar deepwater port project exemplifies the two nations’ “shared vision for mutual benefit through connectivity.”

Media outlets report this development marks a significant escalation in US-Iran tensions, with potential implications for India’s strategic interests in the region.

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