Iran and Afghanistan have agreed to accelerate efforts to facilitate mutual exports, transit of goods, and private sector engagement during a high-level visit by Iran's Agriculture Minister to Kabul.
Gholamreza Nouri Ghezeljeh met with Afghanistan's Minister of Industry and Commerce, Nooruddin Azizi, to discuss practical solutions for expanding bilateral economic ties. The two sides explored ways to remove trade barriers, strengthen banking and financial interactions, and utilize Afghanistan's transit potential to increase goods exchanges.
Nouri Ghezeljeh, who chairs Iran's side of the joint economic cooperation commission, emphasized the need to transform existing agreements into actionable programs. He called for convening the seventh session of the Iran-Afghanistan Joint Economic Commission, describing it as a vital platform to identify new opportunities and accelerate implementation of bilateral accords.
Beyond ministerial talks, Nouri Ghezeljeh met separately with Afghan traders, merchants, and private sector representatives. Economic activists presented proposals on expanding trade in agricultural products, machinery, and equipment. The Minister stressed that direct communication between business communities on both sides could unlock fresh opportunities.
Inviting Afghan traders to visit Iran and engage directly with Iranian agricultural and economic enterprises, he called for sustained exchanges of trade delegations and stronger ties between chambers of commerce and business associations.
The Kabul consultations form part of broader efforts to deepen economic integration between the two neighbors. For Afghanistan, Iran offers vital access to international markets via its southern ports. For Iran, Afghanistan represents a significant export destination and a gateway to Central Asia.
With both countries keen to boost non-oil trade and transit revenues, the groundwork laid in Kabul signals renewed momentum in bilateral economic cooperation.
