Iranian, Afghan nations never alienated

Iranian Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Seyed Mohammad Hosseini hailed the friendly and brotherly relations between Iran and Afghanistan, and said that the two nations have never been alienated from each other due to their abundant historical and cultural bonds."Given the two countries' profound religious, cultural and historical commonalities, the feeling of alienation never existed between the two neighboring and brotherly nations," Hosseini said in a meeting with Balkh province's Governor-General Ata Mohammad Nour and other Afghan officials in Mazar-e-Sharif city on Monday.He underlined Tehran's eagerness to further help Afghanistan's reconstruction and development, and said Iran is also interested in commissioning training, scientific and cultural plans and programs in Afghanistan.Mohammad Nour, for his part, underlined his country's enthusiasm for the further expansion of ties with Iran, and appreciated Tehran for its decades of assistance to the war-hit Afghan nation.Iran is one of the most important donors to Afghanistan which has kept its promises to help to the reconstruction of the war-hit country.Iran has built some roads, power transmission lines, and border stations, among the other infrastructure projects which would better link the two nations.Iran has also contributed more than $50 million annually to Afghan anti-narcoticsefforts in the last 8 years.