Iranian Agriculture Minister Gholamreza Nouri held talks with Afghanistan’s Minister of Industry and Commerce Nooruddin Azizi in Kabul on ways to expand economic and trade relations between the two neighbors.

The two sides discussed cooperation to facilitate mutual exports and goods transit, expand trade exchanges, and create a suitable environment for increased private-sector activity in both countries.

Nouri, who heads Iran’s side of the Iran-Afghanistan Joint Economic Cooperation Commission, stressed the need to use the commission’s capacity to follow up on economic and trade issues and turn agreements between the two countries into practical programs.

He also emphasized the importance of holding the seventh session of the Joint Economic Cooperation Commission, describing it as an opportunity to examine obstacles, identify new capacities, and accelerate the implementation of agreements between Iran and Afghanistan.

During his visit to Kabul, Nouri also met with traders, merchants and economic and business figures to discuss the capacities and obstacles to expanding economic relations between Iran and Afghanistan.

Economic activists and private-sector representatives presented their views and proposals on expanding trade, strengthening links between businesses, and using existing capacities to develop bilateral cooperation.

Cooperation opportunities in agriculture, agricultural machinery and equipment, trade in agricultural products, and establishing more effective links between economic activists and private-sector associations in the two countries were also discussed.