The acting Minister of Industry and Commerce of the Islamic Emirate, Nooruddin Azizi, who recently visited Iran, met with Morteza Jafari, Deputy Director of Operations at Iran’s Railway Administration.
According to Akhundzada Abdul Salam Jawad, spokesperson for the ministry, the two sides discussed trade via railways and the transportation of Afghanistan’s export goods through Iran to European markets.
The spokesperson further mentioned that Iran has committed to transporting Afghanistan’s export goods to European countries quickly and at a low cost. He added, “Mr. Nooruddin Azizi emphasized the importance of facilitating trade for businessmen from both countries and increasing rail transportation to ensure better coordination. He introduced a five-member team to the Iranian delegation for this purpose.”
On the other hand, Amir Tavakoli Roudi, a member of the Iranian Parliament’s Industries and Mines Commission, announced the creation of communication infrastructure and a special economic zone for mining between Afghanistan and Iran. This initiative aims to strengthen economic ties between the two countries and make use of their shared border capacities.
Iran is one of Afghanistan’s most important trading partners, and according to officials, Afghanistan has now become the fifth-largest destination for Iranian exports.
Some economic experts believe that strengthening commercial relations with Iran could provide an opportunity for Afghanistan’s economic growth.
Nabi Afghan, an economic expert, says the Islamic Emirate must take serious steps to facilitate the transportation of Afghanistan’s export goods to European markets via Iran. He added, “Trade through railways with Iran is cheap and efficient. If Afghanistan wants to increase trade with Pakistan, it should focus on developing the railway connection through Iran, as this will benefit Afghanistan.”
Silab Samandar, another economic expert, stated, “Iran and China are planning to connect with Afghanistan via railways in the first phase. The more trade through railways increases, the more facilities will be provided for traders. This route will eliminate trade restrictions in the future.”
Since returning to power, the Islamic Emirate has sought to expand trade relations with Iran, positioning it as an alternative to trade with Pakistan. According to data from Iran, Afghanistan and Iran exchanged $3.197 billion in trade in 2024, marking an 84% increase compared to 2023.
