maintained in a meeting between Iranian & Afghan traders with Iran new counselor in Afghanistan:
The necessity of preserving Iran real position in Afghanistan economy
In a meeting, Iranian and Afghan traders and economic campaigners visited new commercial counselor of Iran in Afghanistan. In this meeting different issues and problems related to business between two countries were discussed, like freezing Afghans’ bank accounts, two countries common borders inconsistencies, and Dogharoun Border crowdedness.”
According to Public Relations of Mashhad Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture, Hadi Nabizadeh, head of Board of Executive Managers of Iran & Afghanistan Joint Chamber in Mashhad, expressed, “common language, in addition to cultural and religious similarities between Iran and Afghanistan nations, can enhance two countries economic relations enhancement.”
Nabizadeh talked about the presence of Pakistani and Chinese companies in Afghanistan and said, “at the moment 200 Chinese companies are active in mining in Afghanistan; it’s for a year that we have insisted on preferential tariffs with respect to rules in Afghanistan, but now Pakistan is doing this and succeeded to attract Afghanistan trust; however, in our country by economic and security supervision such activities can quickly get done. We definitely believe as long as private sector plays no role and does not participate in governmental decisions, nothing goes right.”
Targeting at growth of economic transactions with Afghanistan
Roustaei, Iran Commercial Counselor in Afghanistan, stated, “Afghanistan is our first priority and development of our business and economic relations entitled “Growth of Economic Transactions with Afghanistan” is one of SAMT projects.”
Mentioning Khorasan Razavi as the first business partner for Afghanistan in non-oil exports, Roustaei added, “last year Iran has supplied for 30 percent of Afghanistan import market, 40% of which belonged to Khorasan Razavi.”
He emphasized, “Factually export to Afghanistan hasn’t generally decreased, rather changes in ruling system and decrease in people’s purchasing power caused 56% decline in Afghanistan import compared with the year 2020 as it decreased from 8 billion dollars to 4 billion dollars.”
Necessity of Attention to Threats & Opportunities
Mohammad Ali Amirfakhrian, Khorasan Razavi head of Foreign Commerce Office of SAMT, in this meeting, emphasizing on the fact that every event can be a threat or an opportunity, added, “in Taliban’s time there are also threats and opportunities that with the help of Iran counselor they should be determined to predict suitable solutions for them.”
Regarding Khorasan Razavi capacities in industry, tourism and health, he maintained, “we need to use these capacities in our business interactions specifically with Afghanistan where due to deep cultural relations, two countries traders and businessmen get along very well with each other.”