Those measures aim to punish Iran for what the U.S. sees as unacceptable behavior in Syria, Lebanon, Yemen and elsewhere. They follow the Trump administration’s decision this year to withdraw from an international deal struck with Iran in 2015 to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Strategic Location U.S. sanctions on Iran could undermine the development of a port in Chabahar that is expected to boost trade in the region. Once completed, the port—a small part of which started initial operations in December—could help Iran by strengthening economic ties with South and Central Asia, providing an export point for its oil beyond the Persian Gulf and functioning as a strategic military asset. But it could also be a critical economic lifeline for Afghanistan, where the U.S. has tried for 16 years to strengthen and stabilize the government so thousands of U.S. troops can come home. The port also could […]