Iran, Afghanistan, India Sign Three-Way Transit Accord

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday signed a three-way transit agreement on Iran's southern port of Chabahar.

The accord, which calls for joint investments, will significantly boost the role of the under-tapped port of Chabahar, connecting Iran through India and Afghanistan to central Asia, the Iranian presidency said on its website.

"Today is an important and historical day of development of relations between the three countries," Rouhani said in a televised speech, seated between the two other leaders.

"From Tehran, New Delhi and Kabul, this is a crucial message ... that the path to progress for regional countries goes through joint cooperation and utilizing regional opportunities."

Modi said: "We want to link to the world, but connectivity among ourselves is also a priority."

"Our will starts from Chabahar today, but its end will be an all-out comprehensive development and economic-cultural cooperation," said Ghani.