Indian expert: Iran can play major role in economic stability of Afghanistan

“As an important regional and bilateral partner of Afghanistan, there is no doubt that Iran has had and will have a role to play in bringing an economic and political stability to Afghanistan. Governed by its own national and international equations, Iran has involved itself in Afghanistan and the issues concerning it in many ways. At one level, it has played host to millions of refugees from Afghanistan who had fled the country at various times. At another, it was ostensibly a part of the ‘international alliance’ that was supporting the Afghan-led resistance against the Taliban,' Chayanika Saxena said in exclusive interview with IRNA.

“It has been, thus, for Iran, as much as for any other country, its international and national priorities that have governed Tehran’s involvement in Afghanistan and the role it has played to that effect.” she added.

Terming Iran's Chabahar port as an important port to connect Afghanistan to the open seas and thus, to stabilize its economy, she said: 'Prior to the Chabahar port, the Bandar Abbas port was providing Afghanistan's access to open seas. A transit agreement to this effect was concluded between Iran and Afghanistan in 1974 itself, while the one concerning Chabahar took effect in 2013. It is important to note that where Bandar Abbas serves as an entry into Russian territories and Europe, the significance of Chabahar will be in connecting Afghanistan and the Central Asian Caucuses to India and other South Asian nations by effectively bypassing Pakistan.”

“Connected further through land routes to Afghanistan (Delaram-Zaranj Rail and Road Link and further (in future) to Bamyan) and given its strategic and economic significance, completion of the Chabahar Port will not only come to benefit Afghanistan, but also Iran and India.” she added.

Elaborating on the cooperation between Iran and India to ensure stability in Afghanistan, the seasoned analyst of the world affairs said: 'Iran and India have enjoyed cordial relationship even when the former was clouded by sanctions. Apart from their bilateral camaraderie, the two countries have cooperated over Afghanistan – a proof of which is the revived interest in the construction of the Chabahar port. While Iran was kept at a great distance from the international negotiations on Afghanistan, it along with India recognizes that a stable Afghanistan will be of benefit to Afghanistan, Iran and India alike. As a result, it has been reported that both India and Iran found themselves on the same side of the table when the Afghan-led struggle against the Taliban was on. The International North-South Corridor is another instance of cooperation which has the potential of connecting Afghanistan to the rest of the world, thereby, allowing it to leverage its position as a ‘strategic land-bridge’ between Central and South Asia.”

Terming the recent invitation Iran received to join the six-nation meeting on Afghanistan in Russia as a sign of Tehran’s growing influence in the region, Chayanika Saxena said: “For Iran, its active role in the Afghan conflict–as a direct and indirect party especially since 1979 – and the changes in the regional and international dynamics particularly in the last two years have governed its participation in the peace process. Having been avoided for long, the recent invitation Iran received to join Moscow gathering on Afghanistan was thus, an outcome of the changed dynamics at many levels. To begin with, it was the Russian call to invite Iranians on board; a decision that definitely had the impressions of the collaborated success in Syria on it. Secondly, the lifting of sanctions on Iran has inserted this country back into the international equations as a legitimate actor.” 

On the future course of the action to consolidate the situation in Afghanistan, she said: 'With another round of Russia-led talks due on April 14, the Central Asian nations will be the newest addition to the existing lot of six. It needs to be noted that the Russian invitation to the Central Asian Republics on Afghanistan derives from its own strategic interest in the Caucuses apart from the obvious threat that the debilitating situation in Afghanistan poses to them. The US, on the other hand, has refused to share the table of talks with these member-nations, alleging instead of the involvement of the Russians in arming the Taliban insurgency.'