Regional Significance of Chabahar Port for the Middle East & Pakistan

Abstract

The Chabahar port has the potential to benefit Iran economically and geo-politically. With
India and Afghanistan, being associates of Iran on Chabahar, Iran would be able to
increase its regional influence and affect the Middle Eastern conflicts substantially. The
geopolitical and geo-economic consequences of Chabahar will be enormous. It would be
one of the significant advances in the broader province of Iran after a considerable time.
With its ideal location, energy resources, and a relatively strong state and military muscle,
Iran has the potential to play a leading or even pivotal role in Central Asia, the Persian
Gulf, the Middle East, and the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). If the original plan and
associated agreements are fulfilled, a new trade route extending from Central Asia to the
Middle East and Europe would be materialized. Iran strategically aims at becoming a
significant oil-exporting country and a preferred transit route for international oil
shipments. The paper aims to ascertain the possible implications of the Chabahar port on
Pakistan and the Middle East.