Tehran, July 8, IRNA – President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday that thanks to measures taken by the Government in Chabahar Port as the only oceanic port in Iran, the transit capacity of the port increased from 2.5 million tons to 8.5 million tons a year.

Speaking to the meeting of cabinet ministers, Rouhani said that it was an important development not only for Sistan-Baluchestan province of Iran, but, for North-South transit route, as well.

He referred to construction of Chabahar railway and its connection to the national  railways network as another breakthrough made by development of Sistan-Baluchestan province.

He noted that implementation of South-North railways is a national and international plan which starts from Indian Ocean in Chabahar and is connected to all railways in Central Asia, the Caucasus, China, Russia and Europe.

Earlier, Director General of Chabahar Free Trade Zone Organization (FTZ) Abdul Rahim Kordi said that trade connections of Mumbai-Hamburg-Saint Petersburg will be made through Astarakhan, Anzali, Chabahar and Nhava Sheva instead of Suez Canal.

Although economic development plans in Chabahar are compatible with an economic logic in the aftermath of Iran-Iraq imposed war, some of these projects had been stopped.

Thanks to the existence of ports like Bandar Abbas and Port of Jebel Ali (UAE) and lack of attention to transportation fees, Chabahr was not already an economic zone.

Chabahar, the sole Iranian oceanic port, is an important area on the Persian Gulf and Sea of Oman shores and in North-South Corridor.

It is located in the East-West transit path and is of importance with regard to transit and trans-shipment of goods.

Chabahar has turned out to be a vital area for sending Indian products to Afghanistan and Central Asia.

The Indian government has allocated about $14m budget for development of Chabahar Port in 2020-2021 which had a two-fold rise compared to the last year.

Growth in the allocated budget indicates India's commitment to developing the port and New Delhi determination for changing Chabahar Port into a connecting point.

Due to its strategic position and its access to international high seas, Chabahar is of importance with regard to Iran's trade interactions with other regional countries.

Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei's special attention and the efforts made by President Hassan Rouhani's government have accelerated development of Makran Coasts, especially Chabahar Port, in a way that five big ships carrying basic goods, including wheat, barley, soybean and corn berthed in one week.