Iranian Agriculture Minister Gholamreza Nouri made the remarks during a meeting in Tehran with Afghan Finance Minister Mohammad Hassan Akhund, who heads the Afghan side of the two countries’ Joint Economic Cooperation Commission, on Sunday.
Nouri highlighted Iran’s transit capacities and access to the Persian Gulf and open seas, saying they could help Afghanistan expand its trade with regional and international markets. He encouraged Afghan investors to invest in port facilities and terminals, particularly in the southeastern Iranian port city of Chabahar, to facilitate the country’s imports and exports.
He also said a special government task force, headed by Iran’s first vice president and comprising several ministers, has been established to pursue cooperation with Afghanistan, including investment in various sectors of the neighboring country.
On agricultural cooperation, Nouri identified crop production, mechanization and livestock farming as key areas for joint activities. He said Iran is ready to prioritize the purchase of Afghan agricultural products needed by the Iranian market and supply Afghanistan’s requirements through Iran’s production capacities.
Tehran is also prepared to cooperate with Kabul in plant improvement, livestock breeding, veterinary medicines and vaccines. Iranian agricultural research centers are ready to provide specialized training to Afghan experts, following recent short-term training courses attended by Afghan specialists in Iran, he noted.
Nouri also highlighted cooperation on alternative crops following Afghanistan’s ban on poppy cultivation, saying Iran is prepared to help develop the production of alternative agricultural products.
He stressed the need to facilitate border crossings, simplify customs procedures, ensure round-the-clock customs operations, increase transit traffic and strengthen joint efforts to combat smuggling. Iran, he added, is ready to reopen the Yazdan border crossing and help activate border markets.
Nouri also called for the early convening of the seventh session of the Iran-Afghanistan Joint Economic Cooperation Commission in Kabul, saying a number of bilateral cooperation documents had been prepared and their finalization and exchange could help expand economic ties.
For his part, Akhund emphasized the considerable potential for economic cooperation and joint investment, identifying agriculture, mining, transportation, banking and financial services, energy and infrastructure as promising areas.
He said joint efforts to combat smuggling would help strengthen legitimate trade between the two neighboring countries.
Following the meeting, Akhund also held talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi.