Iran’s Minister of Energy, Abbas Aliabadi, arrived in Kabul on Wednesday to advance technical and engineering cooperation with Afghanistan, emphasizing the historical, linguistic, and cultural ties that underpin bilateral relations. During his visit, Aliabadi highlighted the importance of expanding exchanges in the water and energy sectors and attending the fifth Imam Abu Hanifa International Exhibition, which opened on October 7 and runs for one week.
Aliabadi noted that current interactions between the two countries provide a solid foundation for increasing cooperation, particularly in exporting technical and engineering services, an area he described as having significant growth potential. The minister’s trip aims to facilitate negotiations with Afghan officials to enhance collaboration and address mutual challenges.
Concurrently, a 180-member trade delegation from Iran’s private sector, led by Mahmoud Siadat, head of the Iran-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce, arrived in Kabul on Tuesday. This delegation is participating in the exhibition and engaging with Afghan business representatives to explore avenues for expanding trade ties and joint investment. Afghan economic analysts regard these meetings as crucial steps toward strengthening commercial relations and fostering economic development.
Abdul Nasir Rashtia, an Afghan economic expert, emphasized the strategic importance of building robust relations with neighboring countries like Iran. He pointed to Afghanistan’s limited transportation infrastructure, including a lack of regular transit routes and a developed railway network, as key challenges. Rashtia argued that better utilization of regional trade corridors through neighboring countries could reduce transportation costs and facilitate greater trade volume.
The renewed focus on economic cooperation occurs amid goals set by Tehran and Kabul to boost bilateral trade to an annual target of $10 billion. The Imam Abu Hanifa Exhibition attracts participants from more than 20 countries, including Iran, Russia, India, Turkey, Japan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan. The event provides a platform for industries such as mining, agriculture, handicrafts, telecommunications, banking, and medical equipment to showcase their capabilities and negotiate trade contracts.
Further supporting these efforts, Hamid Ghanbari, Deputy for Economic Diplomacy at Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, met with Mohammad Naeem, Deputy for Financial and Administrative Affairs of Afghanistan’s caretaker government, on Tuesday. Their discussions focused on expanding economic and trade cooperation, particularly infrastructure development projects such as the Herat–Mazar-i-Sharif railway. This railway is seen as a critical component for enhancing regional connectivity and trade logistics between the two countries.
The visit by Iranian officials and business representatives reflects a broader strategy to deepen technical, economic, and infrastructural collaboration between Iran and Afghanistan, leveraging shared interests and geographic proximity to foster mutual growth and stability.