TEHRAN (Iran News) – Iranian Energy Minister Reza Ardakanian and Afghanistan Acting Foreign Minister Mohammad Hanif Atmar underscored further cooperation in joint economic projects.
Both sides, in a videoconference on Sunday, voiced readiness for holding a joint economic commission and launching joint projects in various sectors including electricity, reported Fars News Agency.
Ardakanian said that Iran will keep supporting and cooperating with Afghanistan in production and transfer of energy to the neighboring country.
Atmar, for his part, appreciated Iran for helping Afghan people throughout the past years and underlined the expansion of ties in various fields.
He underscored the import of electricity, customs tariffs, creating preferential tariffs for exporting Afghanistan’s agricultural products to Iran, and trade balance between the two countries.
Iran’s Ambassador to Kabul Bahador Aminian said on September 23 that the country’s Energy Ministry has adopted a plan to meet Afghanistan’s electricity need.
“The two countries have many opportunities to promote ties in different fields, so if Afghanistan intends to develop these ties, Iran would be the best option,” Aminian said at the opening ceremony of “Water, Electricity and Renewable Energy Exhibition and other joint projects” in Afghanistan.
Pointing to the importance of Afghanistan’s market for the Iranian private sector, he added, “Statistics indicate that Afghanistan is importing about $3 billion annually, so if the country provides a broader market for Iranian goods, Iranian producers are willing to cooperate with Afghan partners.”
- source : Iran Daily
