Iran's President Hassan Rouhani (C) speaks during the opening ceremony of Shahid Beheshti Port in Chabahar, Iran, on Dec. 3, 2017. Rouhani on Sunday opened the first phase of Shahid Beheshti Port in the southeastern city of Chabahar, official IRNA news agency reported. (Xinhua/Ahmad Halabisaz)
TEHRAN, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) -- Iran's President Hassan Rouhani on Sunday opened the first phase of Shahid Beheshti Port in the southeastern city of Chabahar, official IRNA news agency reported.
The project was officially opened in a ceremony attended by 60 foreign guests from 17 countries at the port located by the Sea of Oman.
The port is the only oceanic port of Iran which will link Sistan and Balouchestan province to Central Asia and Afghanistan, Rouhani said.
"We are happy that the first wheat shipment for Afghanistan has been sent to the country's people via the Iranian port," he said.
Shahid Beheshti Port will be regarded as a new development stage for the province, Rouhani said, adding that the capacity of the port is 8.5 million tons.
The port will increase the capacity of loading and unloading of the ships as well as the employment rate in the province, also an official with the Sistan and Baluchestan Ports and Maritime Organization said on the sidelines of the ceremony.
Chabahar as the only oceanic port of Iran is located 645 km to the south of Zahedan, the provincial capital city.
