TEHRAN – India’s Mundra Port has reportedly reconsidered its decision on not handling Iranian cargoes as of November 15, Masoud Polmeh, the secretary-general of Shipping Association of Iran (SAOI) announced.

Back in October, India's largest port operator Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) had announced that its terminals would no longer handle the export and import of container cargoes from Iran, Pakistan, and Afghanistan from November 15.

The decision was made following the seizure of a drug cargo at Mundra port in September.

Now, in a letter to the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA), Polmeh said that APSEZ has lifted its restrictions on Iranian cargo vessels following the negotiations made by the Iranian private sector active in India, as well as the Iranian Embassy in New Delhi with the Indian authorities.

“With the conclusion of the bilateral negotiations, from now on, the fleet under the flag of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the goods loaded from the ports of Iran will be able to dock in this Indian port,” Polmeh stated in his letter.

The official has asked ICCIMA to inform the private sector organizations to prepare for the resumption of commercial activity in this sea route.

In late October, former head of Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) Mohammad Rastad had told Mehr News Agency that the restrictions on the activities of Iranian vessels in India’s Mundra Port were removed.

“At present, there is no problem for Iranian ships to enter Chinese and Indian ports,” Rastad said on October 27.

EF/MA