INSTC All Set to Bust US Economic Terrorism
By: Kayhan Int’l Staff Writer
The International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), which connects Eastern Europe to Southern Asia via Iran, has become the focus of attention of the world’s trade and commercial centres.
Stretching for 7,200-km-long the multi-mode transport project is all set to move freight from the European parts of Russia to the Indo-Pakistan Subcontinent by passing through Central Asia, the Caucasus, and the Islamic Republic of Iran, which is the vital link to the international waters for most landlocked countries.
Iran is thus poised to play a vital role in trade and transit routes that would proceed across the Persian Gulf to the Arab states and thence to Africa.
The US is clearly frustrated at these developments that nullify its economic-political terrorism against Iran and Russia, by opening up safe and secure corridors for imports and exports, away from its sanctions.
As a matter of fact, the INSTC in which Russia, Iran, and India, are investing extensively will also benefit Pakistan and Southeast Asian countries, saving precious time and money for the goods they require.
For instance, the present trade route linking Russia to India goes through the Baltic and North Seas to the Atlantic Ocean and passes through the Mediterranean and the Red Sea (via the Suez Canal) to reach its destination.
The time required for the imports/exports exchanges is at least 40 days with huge costs in American dollars that are indeed a burden on the buyers.
Once INSTC becomes fully operational, the exchange of goods between India and Russia, via Iran, will take only a week of ten days, and greatly reduce the costs as the US dollars or Euros are rarely required.
So important is this speedily developing trade transit route that President Vladmir Putin of Russia in his recent State of the Nation Address to the Federal Assembly in Moscow, has emphasized on what is also known as the North-South Transport Corridor.
In a slap on the face of the US and West European regimes, he also said: “We will develop the ports of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. He added that it will open up new routes for business cooperation with India, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan as well as West Asian countries.
The Islamic Republic for its part is rapidly developing its ports on the Caspian Sea in the north as well as on the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman in the south.
Chabahar Port in Sistan-Baluchestan Province is being developed at a quick pace and India has shown interest in its completion because of the benefits it brings to the people of the Subcontinent.
Once fully operational the INSTC will be an economic bonanza for the Islamic Republic of Iran in view of its vital geographical location.