Iranian, Afghan officials discuss economic ties

Iran’s Ambassador to Kabul Mohammad Reza Bahrami, in a meeting with Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Ershad Ahmadi on Monday, discussed ways of consolidating the bilateral relations, particularly the rapid implementation of Tehran-Kabul-New Delhi trilateral transit agreement. In their meeting in Kabul, the two officials stressed the expansion of Tehran-Kabul cooperation, and also stressed the vital importance of the trilateral trade and transit agreement in boosting regional economy between Iran, Afghanistan and India. The trilateral trade and transit agreement is aimed at making use of the Iranian Chabahar Port for trade and transit purposes. 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 $50mln annually to Afghan anti-narcotics efforts in the last decade. The North-South Transport Corridor is the ship, rail, and road route for moving cargo from South Asia to Europe through Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Russia. Iran is located in the international corridor with the Iranian part of the corridor starting in Chabahar in the South and stretching up to the city of Mashhad. Iran's Chabahar port, which is located 72 kilometers West of Pakistan's Gwadar port, holds immense strategic and economic significance for India. Chabahar and Gwadar ports are located in a common coast and they are 70 kilometers away from one another. The transit agreement involves India, Iran and Afghanistan. India had held discussions with Iran on the Chabahar port during Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid’s visit to Tehran in May 2013.