Before visiting Kyrgyzstan, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev met with Iranian Foreign Minister Hussein Amir Abdollahian. Their meeting took place during the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO). The parties discussed economic issues, portal Upl.uz reports.
Uzbekistan intends to increase the efficiency of using Iranian ports as part of efforts to expand its transport and logistics sector. The ports of Chabahar and Bandar Abbas, located in Iran, offer strategic advantages to Uzbekistan as they provide access to the Indian Ocean, which can be used for trade with other countries in the region, such as India and Pakistan.
Chabahar Port in particular is of great importance as it develops as a major transportation hub in the region. It is located in the Iranian province of Sistan-Baluchistan and has a strategic location, as it is less than 100 km from the Pakistani port of Gwadar and is easily accessible from the Persian Gulf. This means that Uzbekistan can use the port to access the Arabian Sea, which is a vital trade route.
The Port of Bandar Abbas, on the other hand, is the largest port in Iran and is located in the Strait of Hormuz. It serves as a major hub for container and general cargo ships and is an important gateway to the Middle East and Central Asia. The port also offers a wide range of services, such as warehousing, storage and transshipment of goods, which can be beneficial for Uzbekistan.
Thus, expanding cooperation with Iran in the transport sector, in particular, in the use of the ports of Chabahar and Bandar Abbas, Uzbekistan seeks to expand its transport and logistics sector and gain access to new trade routes in the region.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
January 27, 2023