WANA (Jan 06) – According to informed sources, Iran’s Foreign Minister, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, is likely to travel to India and Lebanon next week for consultations with senior officials amid rapid developments in West Asia.

 

India’s visit is expected to focus on expanding cooperation at Chabahar Port, strengthening bilateral trade, and enhancing regional connectivity.

 

The Indian newspaper reported that while the plans for the trip are not yet finalized, Araghchi is expected to be in New Delhi on January 15–16. This will mark his second visit to India; his last trip was in May 2025, during a brief four-day military conflict between India and Pakistan.

 

Sources indicated that key topics for discussion will include the development of Chabahar Port, regional connectivity projects, boosting bilateral trade, and regional developments such as the peace process in Gaza.

 

In October 2024, the US government granted a six-month waiver for sanctions targeting Iran’s Chabahar Port. The upcoming visit is expected to provide both sides with an opportunity to explore ways to continue developing this strategic facility on the Gulf of Oman. Previously, the Trump administration had revoked a 2018 sanctions waiver that allowed India to operate at Chabahar Port.

 

Chabahar has gained further strategic importance after Pakistan closed transit routes, becoming a key hub for transporting goods from Afghanistan to India, sources added.

 

The Indian media also noted that India currently holds the BRICS chairmanship, and cooperation with partners like Iran is expected to be crucial in shaping the group’s agenda. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is anticipated to visit India later in 2026 to attend the BRICS summit.

 

Iran’s Ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali, told the Hindustan Times last week that India, as an emerging global power and a voice of the Global South with a track record of supporting peace and stability in different regions, could play an “influential role” in the Gaza peace process.

 

Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s foreign minister, will also travel to Beirut, the capital of Lebanon. According to Al-Hadath, Araghchi’s visit to Beirut is scheduled for Saturday.

Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi met on May 08, 2025. Social media/ WANA News Agency