Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan Mehdi Honerdoost has said that the Chabahar port agreement between India, Iran and Afghanistan is not finished yet and Pakistan and China are welcome to join, reported Dawn. He said the two countries were approached for their cooperation earlier, but they did not show any interest in the project then. Speaking at the Institute of Strategic Studies in Islamabad, he insisted that "Chabahar is not a rival to Gwadar" port.

“The deal is not finished. We are waiting for new members. Pakistan, our brotherly neighbours and China, a great partner of the Iranians and a good friend of Pakistan, are both welcome,” he said. He said India was a "good friend" to Iran when sanctions were imposed on the country. "India was the only country to import oil from us during sanctions,” Honerdoost said.

The agreement was signed in May. The port lies in a free trade zone of Sistan-Balochistan Province. It is believed to be of great strategic value to the South Asian nation. Economic sanctions imposed on Iran by the West were lifted in January, after it agreed to comply with a deal to curb its nuclear ambitions.