Any country conducting business with Iran is at risk of sanctions, warned the United States. However, the US is aware of a recent deal signed between Iran and India regarding the Chabahar port.
"We're aware of these reports that Iran and India have signed a deal concerning the Chabahar port. I will let the government of India speak to its own foreign policy goals vis-a-vis the Chabahar port and its own bilateral relationship with Iran," State Department Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters at his daily news conference.
"I will just say, as it relates to the United States, US sanctions on Iran remain in place, and we'll continue to enforce them," he said in response to a question on India's deal with Iran on the strategic Chabahar port.
"You've heard us say this in a number of instances, that any entity, anyone considering business deals with Iran, they need to be aware of the potential risk that they are opening themselves up to and the potential risk of sanctions," Patel said.
India and Iran signed a 10-year contract for the operation of a terminal at the Chabahar port, which is strategically important for boosting regional connectivity and trade ties.
The Chabahar port on the Gulf of Oman—which New Delhi proposed to develop way back in 2003—will provide Indian goods with a gateway to landlocked Afghanistan and Central Asia using a road and rail project called the International North-South Transport Corridor, bypassing Pakistan.
US sanctions on Iran over its suspected nuclear programme had slowed the development of the port.
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