Chabahar: Iran’s Strategic Advantage in Afghanistan’s Transit Routes

Following the escalation of political and security disputes between Pakistan and Afghanistan, the borders of the two countries have been completely closed. According to a report by the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce, about 12,000 containers belonging to Afghan traders have been stopped at the Karachi port. This has made the importance of the alternative route of Chabahar more apparent than ever for Afghan and Indian traders.

For this, by Indians and Afghans, Chabahar Corridor is considered the most optimal transit route and the safest option for access to open waters.

Of course, the historical appeal of the Pakistan route for Afghans still persists, and some of the reasons for this include the active Torkham and Chaman borders due to their proximity to Kandahar, the lack of structural restrictions on road transport (the ability to carry up to 40 tons of cargo), the extensive traffic of international shipping lines at the Port of Karachi, and the activities of large terminal operating companies such as ICTSI (Philippines) and DP World (UAE).