Official stresses existing capacities for developing Iran-Afghanistan ties

Iran and Afghanistan enjoy numerous capacities that can be used to develop the bilateral ties between the two neighbors, a senior trade official in the Iranian Province of Hamedan said. On the sidelines of a visit by the Afghan commercial delegation to Hamedan Province production units on Sunday, Vice-Chairman of Hamedan Province Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture Masoud Kherri described Afghanistan as a historic country seeking development and independence. He said that promoting commercial and economic ties has direct relations with scientific, technological and cultural exchanges, adding that cooperation will bring about sustainable development and security to the region, the Islamic republic news agency reported. “Due to war in Afghanistan, development of infrastructures is in need of technical and engineering services as well as investment in various economic sections,” Kheiri said. Iran can help Afghanistan to go ahead with reconstruction and economic development, he noted. Kheiri said that cooperation to set up power plants and build infrastructure such as railway and airport can turn Hamedan and Herat of Afghanistan to two partners. On Saturday, Afghan Ambassador to Tehran Nassir Ahmad Nour said that the annual trade exchanges between Iran and Afghanistan have exceeded $5bln in value, thanks to the two sides\' growing cooperation between the two friendly nations. \"The trade exchanges between Iran and Afghanistan have increased to $5bln annually from $500mln (in the past),\" Ahmad Nour said in a meeting with the governor-general of the western city of Hamedan on Saturday. He underlined the good and brotherly relations between Tehran and Kabul, saying the ties between the two nations have been based on \"cooperation, common interests and mutual respect\". Iran is one of the most important donors to Afghanistan which has kept its promises to help to the reconstruction of the war-hit country. Iran has built some roads, power transmission lines, and border stations, among the other infrastructure projects which would better link the two nations. Iran has also contributed more than $50mln annually to Afghan anti-narcotics efforts in the last decade. Iranian Interior Minister Abdol-Reza Rahmani Fazli and Afghan Minister of Refugees and Repatriation Jamaher Anwari, in a meeting in Tehran earlier this month, stressed the need for broadening mutual cooperation between Tehran and Kabul in all fields. At the meeting Anwari hoped for the further promotion of Tehran-Kabul relations. After the meeting with the visiting Afghan minister, Rahmani Fazli said the two sides exchanged views on various issues including Afghan refugees residing in Iran, and reiterated call for expansion of mutual cooperation between the two neighboring countries.