On Friday, the External Affairs Minister of India told the Lok Sabha that the United States sanctions on Iran have nowhere affected India’s Chabahar port project, as per sources.
In response to a question raised by one of the BSP members, the minister also clarified that with regards to India’s Chabahar port project in Iran, the United States sanctions stand irrelevant.
Questions Answered
It was also inquired by the BSP member whether if the above-cited sanctions had any specific bearing on India’s project at the Chabahar port while the questions were raised during the Questions Hour. It was also claimed by the official that it has been publicly said by the Iranian government that India’s Chabahar port project has been miserably delayed for which these sanctions imposed by the United States stand as an evident reason.
Speculations?
By taking advantage of United States sanctions on Iran, China on the other hand is trying to work on the project as it did with the rail link, as claimed by the BSP member.
In a response to the same, External Affairs Minister said that the said assertions are completely inaccurate. The minister added that the possession of the terminal was taken in 2018 while this agreement was signed back in 2016. With six cranes already being supplied, the terminal is fully functional.
What are these sanctions?
Against Iran, various scientific, economic, military and trade sanctions have been applied since 1979 by the United States which are being administered by the office of foreign assets control which is, in turn, an agency of the United States Treasury Department. Along with a ban on selling their crops and repair parts to Iranian aviation companies the United States sanctions against Iran currently include an embargo on the dealings with the country by the United States, according to previous reports.
In response to the Iranian support for Hezbollah, Palestine Islamic Jihad and Hamas that are considered as terrorist organisations by the United States along with the Iranian nuclear program, these sanctions have been imposed against Iran by the US.
Criticism all the way
Earlier it was reported that the safety of civil aviation in Iran has been endangered by the United States sanction, according to a 2005 report which was presented at the 36th session of the International Civil Aviation organisation that reasoned its statement by saying that the sanctions prevented Iran from acquiring parts and support essential for aviation safety.
That said, the International Civil Aviation Organisation report said that the Assembly should bring International Public pressure on the United States in order to lift the sanctions against Iran as aviation safety affects human life and human rights and it stands above political differences.
While on the other hand, most of these trade sanctions against Iran have been seen as critical by the European Union while some of its member states have criticised the ILSA as a double standard in the United States foreign policy where against the Arab League boycott of Israel, the United States had worked vigorously.