US backs India-Iran Chabahar port deal as it outflanks China-Pakistan Gwadar project

[guest11]

Railway Linking Central Asia to Iran Inaugurated

on December 4, 2014 | 6:31:21

The presidents of Iran, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan inaugurated a new Railway linking the three nations on Wendnesday December 3.

The official opening of the line took place in the Turkmen frontier village of Ak-Yayla, where Iranian President Hassan Rohani joined Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev and Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov.

The 935-kilometer Ozen-Bereket-Gorgan line which runs from western Kazakhstan to the northern Iranian city of Gorgan, is now the shortest railway connecting the three states and will significantly speed the movement of cargo between a long-isolated region and markets in the Middle East and Asia.

The rail route inaugurated Wednesday will initially have a capacity to carry up to 5 million tons of cargo annually, but that figure is projected to increase to 12 million tons. It is also planned that the line could eventually be opened to passengers.

In a speech at the cross-border station, Iranian President Rouhani said the opening of the route represented a historic breakthrough for the region.

“Today, I want to express my unbounded joy,” he said.

Iran and the former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan all have Caspian Sea shorelines — a source of tension for years among the five littoral states, which also include Azerbaijan and Russia.

Kazakhstan does not have a land border with Iran, and there is little passenger travel between Iran and tightly controlled Turkmenistan.



http://realiran.org/railway-linking-central-asia-iran-inaugurated/

 

[guest11]

Huawei awarded north–south line GSM-R contract
12 Jun 2014


TURKMENISTAN: Huawei has been awarded a contract to supply GSM-R for the 133 km Buzhun – Serhetyaka and 23 km Bereket – Chilmammet sections of the north-south railway which is under construction to link Uzen in Kazakhstan with Bereket and Etrek in Turkmenistan and Gorgan in Iran.

Huawei has previously installed GSM-R on the 289 km Chilmammet – Gyzylgaya – Buzhun section of the corridor, and on the east–west Turkmenbashi – Ashgabat line.

The company is to supply GSM-R equipment including DBS3800 distributed base stations and tower-mounted remote radio units designed to minimise the impact of antenna feeder loss on radio network coverage while satisfying a local requirement that equipment rooms cannot be located close to the towers.

http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/...-awarded-north-south-line-gsm-r-contract.html

Iran Backs Taliban With Cash and Arms

Shiite Tehran has quietly boosted ties with the Sunni militant group and is now recruiting and training its fighters

ENLARGE
Afghan security officials last month escorted suspected Taliban militants after arresting them in Jalalabad, Afghanistan. Photo: ghulamullah habibi/European Pressphoto Agency
By
Margherita Stancati
June 11, 2015 7:32 p.m. ET
210 COMMENTS
KABUL—When Abdullah, a Taliban commander in central Afghanistan, needs more rifles and ammunition, he turns to the same people who pay his $580-a-month salary: his Iranian sponsors.

“Iran supplies us with whatever we need,” he said.

Afghan and Western officials say Tehran has quietly increased its supply of weapons, ammunition and funding to the Taliban, and is now recruiting and training their fighters, posing a new threat to Afghanistan’s fragile security.

More Coverage

• U.S. Considering Opening Network of Bases in Iraq
• Intelligence Chief Cites Threats From Iran, Hezbollah After GOP Criticism

Iran’s strategy in backing the Taliban is twofold, these officials say: countering U.S. influence in the region and providing a counterweight to Islamic State’s move into the Taliban’s territory in Afghanistan.

The Taliban’s aggressive military push and the new momentum toward peace negotiations between them and Kabul also raises the possibility that some of their members could eventually return to power.

“Iran is betting on the re-emergence of the Taliban,” said a Western diplomat. “They are uncertain about where Afghanistan is heading right now, so they are hedging their bets.”

Iranian officials didn’t respond to requests for comment, but Tehran has repeatedly denied providing financial or military aid to the Taliban in conversations with Afghan and Western officials. “Whenever we discussed it, they would deny it,” a former senior Afghan official said.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/iran-backs-taliban-with-cash-and-arms-1434065528

 

[dray]

I am still wondering what is there for Pakistan in the Gwadar project?? It's China who will build, own and operate the port for its own economic activities, and to flood the Pakistani market with Chinese products even more...so what Pakistan gains? Will China going to pay any significant transit fee for a route built with their money?

 

[Joe Shearer]

Since there are no american or neutral sources, I believe this news is false. Just imagine the US backing (officially or unofficially) an Iranian project.
It is bound to make headlines. How could an Indian news site gets this sensitive information while the western media completely ignores it. It just does not make sense.
You are more than welcome to prove me otherwise.

I asked because sources tell me that significant sums have been committed to this project. This is with the full knowledge and consent of the Obama government who have made equivocal but slightly approving noises about it. They have taken care to say that the Modi government has been very clearly apprised of America's stand on security issues.

I am still wondering what is there for Pakistan in the Gwadar project?? It's China who will build, own and operate the port for its own economic activities, and to flood the Pakistani market with Chinese products even more...so what Pakistan gains? Will China going to pay any significant transit fee for a route built with their money?

The general idea is that after some time, more and more Chinese warships will make goodwill visits to Gwadar, and to Karachi, thus sanitising them against seaborne attacks. Also giving China effectively a two-navy presence. There is a long time from now to 2050, so it is to be expected that Chinese hegemonism and bullying of everybody in the neighbourhood will continue for at least two or three decades more, before their intolerable ecological damage and their decline in growth combine to slow them down. There is worse to come.

 

[Jinn Baba]

Gwadar is being built as a commercial port and not as a naval facility for China’s navy — at least for the time being, but it could potentially be developed as one in the future. Situated on a barren, hammerhead-shaped peninsula in the south of insurgency-ridden Balochistan — and just north-east of the strategically important Straits of Hormuz — Pakistan's generals and China's politicians predict the development of Gwadar will be a game-changer.

Of course! Gwadar is in "insurgency-ridden Balochistan" as opposed to this port to which access comes via the stable first world country that is Afghanistan

Just wait and see what happens. All those Afghan warlords aren't going anywhere soon. The country is one big mess. Their Army can't even protect its own equipment from being hijacked, let's see them protect millions/billions in shipments passing through.

Let's also wait and see which route traders prefer and how India tries to bypass pakistan's EEZ without paying some sort of bhatta!!!

 

[Tripoli]

I asked because sources tell me that significant sums have been committed to this project. This is with the full knowledge and consent of the Obama government who have made equivocal but slightly approving noises about it. They have taken care to say that the Modi government has been very clearly apprised of America's stand on security issues.



The general idea is that after some time, more and more Chinese warships will make goodwill visits to Gwadar, and to Karachi, thus sanitising them against seaborne attacks. Also giving China effectively a two-navy presence. There is a long time from now to 2050, so it is to be expected that Chinese hegemonism and bullying of everybody in the neighbourhood will continue for at least two or three decades more, before their intolerable ecological damage and their decline in growth combine to slow them down. There is worse to come.

What would those sources be then?

 

[Jinn Baba]

Also as pi**ed off as I am at Iran at being India's new best friend, perhaps having a little competition to Gwadar may force those responsible in Pakistan to act more speedily and responsibly. After all, look how we flop on almost everything else but when it comes to dealing with India we do almost everything right.

 

[AKD]

Of course! Gwadar is in "insurgency-ridden Balochistan" as opposed to this port to which access comes via the stable first world country that is Afghanistan

Just wait and see what happens. All those Afghan warlords aren't going anywhere soon. The country is one big mess. Their Army can't even protect its own equipment from being hijacked, let's see them protect millions/billions in shipments passing through.

Let's also wait and see which route traders prefer and how India tries to bypass pakistan's EEZ without paying some sort of bhatta!!!

We don't need to pass through Afghanistan.. Please see previous posts..
Pakistan cant do anything if we pass through through you EEZ because itswe pass through through you EEZ because its een not territorial water on those waters everybody has right to nagivation at this

 

[war&peace]

Chabahar seems to be a failure and waste of time and money.

 

[tarrar]

Pakistan to continue to strengthen ties with China & allow China to open Navy & Air force bases in Pakistan as this will check recently signed US & India deal of allowing US to use Indian soil & this move will also strengthen the security of CPEC. Pakistan will have to take hardcore steps but then of course it is not possible in the presence of corrupt & treacherous politicians.

It is good that our Intel Agencies & PA can see the real face of US & the game its playing these days.

 

[Joe Shearer]

Of course! Gwadar is in "insurgency-ridden Balochistan" as opposed to this port to which access comes via the stable first world country that is Afghanistan

Just wait and see what happens. All those Afghan warlords aren't going anywhere soon. The country is one big mess. Their Army can't even protect its own equipment from being hijacked, let's see them protect millions/billions in shipments passing through.

Let's also wait and see which route traders prefer and how India tries to bypass pakistan's EEZ without paying some sort of bhatta!!!

Look at the map before you have your incredible bowel movement all over the page.

What would those sources be then?

I still have friends, although a nasty government is in power at the centre.

Also as pi**ed off as I am at Iran at being India's new best friend, perhaps having a little competition to Gwadar may force those responsible in Pakistan to act more speedily and responsibly. After all, look how we flop on almost everything else but when it comes to dealing with India we do almost everything right.

Bad English.

It should read,".....we do everything almost right."

 

[dray]

The general idea is that after some time, more and more Chinese warships will make goodwill visits to Gwadar, and to Karachi, thus sanitising them against seaborne attacks. Also giving China effectively a two-navy presence. There is a long time from now to 2050, so it is to be expected that Chinese hegemonism and bullying of everybody in the neighbourhood will continue for at least two or three decades more, before their intolerable ecological damage and their decline in growth combine to slow them down. There is worse to come.

Chinese hegemonism will be far worse than US hegemonism, US being a democracy still need to answer to its people, even if it is bluff, Chinese leadership is autocratic and answerable to none. We really need to focus on our military and economy.

But one good thing is that Chinese are very aggressive and racist in their economic colonies, so they become unpopular in the local population fast.

 

[Sam.]

Chabahar seems to be a failure and waste of time and money.

Gospel has been spoken.

 

[Joe Shearer]

We don't need to pass through Afghanistan.. Please see previous posts..
Pakistan cant do anything if we pass through through you EEZ because itswe pass through through you EEZ because its een not territorial water on those waters everybody has right to nagivation at this

You can't get it into this new set of schoolkids pounding away on their keyboards and thinking strategic thoughts, fighting off their country's ravagers and winning battles on the Internet that reverse everything in the past that facts are not what they want them to be, but have a separate and independent existence in reality.

Pity.

What a waste of band-width.

Chinese hegemonism will be far worse than US hegemonism, US being a democracy still need to answer to its people, even if it is bluff, Chinese leadership is autocratic and answerable to none. We really need to focus on our military and economy.

But one good thing is that Chinese are very aggressive and racist in their economic colonies, so they become unpopular in the local population fast.

Also, they are burning out at an alarming rate. Alarming for them.

 

[nang2]

Personally, I wish both ports are successful. Iran is eager to invigorate her economy after decades of sanction. More ports are certainly needed for a booming economy.