On September 18, 2025, the United States dropped a geopolitical bombshell that reverberated across South Asia and the Indian Ocean region: the revocation of the 2018 sanctions waiver for operations at Iran’s Chabahar Port, effective September 29, 2025. This move, announced by the US Department of State, aligns with President Donald Trump’s “maximum pressure” policy against Tehran, targeting the Iranian regime’s alleged support for regional proxies and nuclear ambitions.