Mohsen Zanganeh, a member of Iran’s parliament, has said that no part of Iran’s territory or sovereignty has been transferred to Afghanistan, following widespread reactions to his remarks about allocating more than 110 hectares of land at the port of Chabahar to Afghanistan.
On Friday, October 9, 2026, Zanganeh said his earlier remarks about allocating land for Afghan investment at Chabahar port had been misrepresented.
He explained that the proposal involved allocating around 10 hectares within Chabahar port and nearly 100 hectares in the port’s free-trade zone for Afghan investment. According to him, the aim is to facilitate economic activities and establish infrastructure, such as a dry port, to improve Afghanistan’s commercial access to open waters.
The remarks came a day after Zanganeh said that, under a preliminary understanding with Afghan officials, more than 110 hectares of land in Chabahar would be allocated for Afghanistan’s economic activities. His description of creating “a territory of their own” for Afghanistan prompted reactions and questions in Iran.
Meanwhile, the governor of Chabahar has also rejected reports that land was being transferred to foreign nationals, saying that no request had been submitted so far and that no implementation measures or land transfers had taken place.
According to published reports, a distinction must be made between allocating land for economic investment and transferring territorial ownership or sovereignty. The final details of the understanding, including its legal terms, contract arrangements, and implementation status, have not yet been fully clarified.
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