Ignoring Pakistani trade routes, Taliban invest in Iranian Chabahar

Interest in Iranian port Chabahar after Afghan Taliban's frustration with trade route to Pakistan.

An Afghan trade delegation has announced a $35 million construction and investment project in Iran 's southern port of Chabahar.

According to the Iran International Broadcasting Agency, Iran's Ambassador to Afghanistan , Hassan Kazemi Qomi, said that 'with an investment of 35 million dollars, work has started on various projects, including commercial, residential and administrative.'

This move came in the background of Iran's recent actions regarding Afghan refugees, in which reports of large-scale expulsion of Afghan citizens from Iran have emerged.

There were also reports that the latest move would allow many illegal Afghan workers in Iran to remain there under a system.

Most recently, Afghans were banned from living in 16 Iranian provinces in December amid border tensions.

The influx of Afghan workers, particularly in the construction sector, had been criticized within Iran.

Afghan citizens have also been accused of stealing jobs from Iranians during the economic crisis in Iran.

Iranian officials estimate that the number of authorized foreign nationals in Iran is about 4 million, a large proportion of whom are migrants.

Since the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan in 2021, Iran has refrained from formally recognizing the Taliban government.

Afghanistan's embassy in Tehran has been handed over to Taliban representatives.

According to the Australia-based Greek City Times, the investment came after an Afghan delegation visited Iran, highlighting the deep economic cooperation between the two countries.

The purpose of the Afghan delegation's visit was to focus on the construction project within the Chabahar Special Economic Zone, which includes the construction of a 25-storey high-rise residential complex.

The move is seen as a major move for Afghanistan, aimed at improving its access to international waters and expanding its trade capabilities.

This investment between Afghanistan and Iran was made at a time when there was tension between the two countries not only over issues such as border disputes and water rights, but also strained relations with neighboring Pakistan .

Relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan have also been cold for some time. 

The border crossings between the two countries are closed day by day due to various reasons due to which the trading community on both sides are facing severe difficulties.

Apart from this, Pakistan had accused Afghan citizens of involvement in the terrorist incidents in the country last year.

Pakistan said it had provided evidence of this to the Afghan Taliban and demanded action against the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, which, according to Pakistan, was using Afghanistan's territory against Pakistan.

Pakistan says that despite its efforts, no action has been taken against the TTP in Afghanistan and there have been incidents of Afghan citizens being involved in 'terrorism' incidents in Pakistan, after which Pakistan illegally entered Pakistan. I started repatriating Afghan nationals living in

Despite these regional tensions, investment in Chabahar has been seen as a strategic effort by Afghanistan to secure an alternative route for its trade and strengthen its economy.

Iran's Chabahar port offers an important gateway for Afghanistan to access international markets, eliminating its complete dependence on its immediate neighbors, including Pakistan.

An analysis by Almanator, based in the US capital, Washington, said that the investment would give landlocked Afghanistan access to international markets through the Iranian port.

Located on the Iran-Afghanistan border, Chabahar is the only port in Iran that has direct access to the Indian Ocean and can be connected to Afghanistan by land via the Chabahar, Zahedan, Sarkhas Railway.

With Iran and Afghanistan facing international sanctions, both countries seem eager to take economic ties to a new level.

Roberto Nicia, an independent researcher and Iran analyst, told Almanac that the Taliban's interest in Chabahar port is not surprising since Afghan Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar visited Tehran in November last year.