TEHRAN, Sep. 14 (MNA) – Deputy Minister of Transit at the Ministry of Roads, Transport and Urban Development Mehrdad Taghizadeh dismissed rumors that the country’s southeastern port of Chabahar has been handed over to India, saying “all activities are under the control of the General Office of Maritime Affairs of Sistan and Baluchestan province.”

Indian company ‘IPGL’ has been tasked with administering and running the terminal of the first phase of ‘Beheshti harbor’ at Chabahar port as a mere operator, he said, adding “Chabahar has never been handed over to the Indians.”

Chabahar is the closest and best access point of Iran to the Indian Ocean, due to which India Ports Global and Aria Banader Iranian Port signed a deal in May 2016 to equip and operate containers and multi-purpose terminals at Shahid Beheshti port in Chabahar with the capital investment of $85.21 million and annual revenue expenditure of $ 22.95 million on a 10-year lease.

LR/4402653