Iranian envoy says Chabahar not rival to Gwadar

ISLAMABAD: Iranian ambassador Mehdi Honardoost on Friday said that Iran's Chabahar harbour was not a rival to Pakistan's Gwadar port and stressed that both connectivity projects were in the interest of entire region.

At a talk with academicians hosted by Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) the Iranian ambassador dismissed the impression that the Chabahar pact recently signed by Iran, India and Afghanistan was against any other country and said the mega project would ensure peace and tranquility in the region.

Honardoost said Chabahar agreement was not limited to three countries only and offered Pakistan and China to join it.

He said after bearing 37 years of unfair sanctions, Chabahar was a window of international cooperation for Iran.  He said that Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline could prove as a jumping board for Pakistan due to cheaper price of gas.

He said that Iran after constructing pipeline on its side with $2 billion was waiting for Pakistan to accelerate the project.