CNN: Trump Pressures US Officials To Regain Control Of Bagram Air Base

Washington first granted the waiver in 2018 to give Afghanistan secure access to regional markets and support its reconstruction. But the State Department said the exemption no longer fits with the Biden administration’s “maximum pressure” campaign against Tehran. Companies and institutions using the port now risk US penalties.

India signed a 10-year agreement with Iran in 2024 to operate and expand Chabahar, located in south-eastern Iran. Since 2018, New Delhi has overseen its development, investing more than $120 million. Plans include boosting annual capacity to 500,000 containers and connecting the port to Iran’s rail network by 2026.

For Afghanistan, Chabahar has been a lifeline, enabling trade with India and other markets without relying on Pakistan, which has frequently blocked Afghan goods at its borders.

The waiver’s removal leaves New Delhi exposed to US sanctions and jeopardises Chabahar’s role as a counterweight to Pakistan’s Chinese-backed Gwadar Port. For Afghanistan, it risks renewed dependence on volatile Pakistani routes at a time of strained ties with Islamabad.

Analysts warn the US decision could seriously disrupt Afghanistan’s already fragile transit access, undermining its ability to import and export essential goods.

The measure, introduced by Republican Representative Eli Crane of Arizona, passed during the House debate on the National Defense Authorization Act in September.

Supporters said the move is aimed at strengthening anti-Taliban groups and marks the first step toward renewed US engagement with Taliban opponents since American forces withdrew from Afghanistan in August 2021.

The amendment grants the US defence secretary broad authority to determine which groups qualify as “resistance units” and the scope of intelligence to be shared.

The measure still requires Senate approval before the defence budget becomes law.

Islamabad urged the Taliban to cut ties with the TTP and honour its commitments to eliminate terrorist groups, according to the report.

Deputy Foreign Minister Syed Ali Asad Gillani told the Taliban envoy that Kabul must provide assurances Afghan soil will not be used for terrorist activities.

The Foreign Ministry’s move came a few days ago, the report said, after a series of attacks in Pakistan blamed on the TTP. Officials in Islamabad have also accused both the Taliban and India of backing the militants.

Separately, Mohammad Sadiq, Pakistan’s special representative for Afghanistan, is expected to lead a high-level delegation to Kabul later this week. He is scheduled to meet Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and deliver Islamabad’s message directly to the group’s leadership.

Meanwhile, the TTP announced a three-day ceasefire in Wana, South Waziristan. The group said it would suspend attacks in the area from Wednesday, 17 September, through Friday, 19 September.

In his annual report to Congress, released Monday by the White House, President Donald Trump said Afghanistan’s persistent production and stockpiles of drugs keep international trafficking routes active.

The report also highlighted a rise in methamphetamine production in Afghanistan and warned that terrorist groups and international criminal networks benefit from the trade.

Trump said Afghanistan was being designated due to its “demonstrated failure” to meet counter-narcotics commitments and because the country’s drug industry poses a serious threat to US interests and global security.

Alongside Afghanistan, the list includes the Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, Burma, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Laos, Mexico, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Panama, Peru and Venezuela.

The US also placed Afghanistan on a similar list last year.

According to a Monday report in Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper, officials said the new measures aim to sever all logistical support to “terrorists” from across the border.

Authorities said stricter surveillance will particularly target infiltration in Khyber and Bajaur, disrupting the flow of weapons, money and fresh recruits to militant groups, especially Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

They stressed that the strategy will only be effective if militants are prevented from entering Pakistan through insecure border crossings.

Officials believe the period from September to February is the most opportune time to curb infiltration, as militant groups typically return to their sanctuaries in Afghanistan during winter or seek “safe havens” in border areas to regroup and resupply.

The officials added that the new strategy would allow security forces to conduct intelligence-driven operations with minimal civilian casualties and less public opposition.