(MENAFN) Iran has exported USD1.3 billion worth of non-oil commodities to Afghanistan during the first seven months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20-October 21), as reported by Mohammad Rezvanifar, the former head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA). This figure places Afghanistan as the fifth-largest destination for Iranian non-oil exports in this period.

In a related development, Afghanistan's interim Deputy Prime Minister, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund, expressed interest in attracting Iranian investors to help develop Afghanistan’s mining industry, generate solar electricity, and enhance railway connectivity. This was discussed during a meeting with an Iranian trade delegation in Kabul in mid-August, where both sides explored opportunities for cooperation. The Iranian delegation also proposed establishing a joint special industrial zone with Afghanistan, aimed at fostering deeper economic ties.

Further discussions included a separate meeting with Afghanistan’s acting Minister of Commerce, Haji Nooruddin Azizi, where both parties expressed interest in creating a joint economic and mining zone. The potential for mutual collaboration on large-scale industrial projects was highlighted, with both governments pledging to provide necessary support for investors.

In early August, Iran’s commercial attaché in Afghanistan, Hossein Roustaei, emphasized the need for innovative trade models to boost Iran’s presence in the Afghan market. He pointed out that Afghanistan relies on imports for more than 80 percent of its market needs, with Iran supplying 25 percent of this demand, underscoring the importance of strengthening bilateral trade relations between the two nations.

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