KABUL (Tolo News) – 
Afghanistan’s Minister of Industry and Commerce Nooruddin Azizi has said that expanding economic cooperation with neighboring countries is among the Islamic Emirate’s priorities.
He stressed that Afghanistan does not expect assistance from others and that neighboring countries should help create conditions for regional economic growth through investment and joint cooperation.
Nooruddin Azizi said: “I believe that the region’s problems will decrease, foreign interference will come to an end, and we will move toward an economy that benefits not only Afghanistan and Iran, but all countries in the region.”
Meanwhile, Iran’s Minister of Agriculture Jihad said the two countries are seeking to increase their bilateral trade volume to $10 billion.
He added that Tehran will remove trade barriers, strengthen the Joint Economic Commission, and support expanded private-sector cooperation between the two countries to achieve this goal.
Gholamreza Nouri Ghezeljeh, Iran’s Minister of Agriculture Jihad, said: “We will remove the barriers to trade cooperation one by one, and we will also prepare new documents within the Joint Economic Commission to bring the volume of trade between the two countries to the set target of $10 billion.”
Alireza Bikdeli, Iran’s ambassador to Kabul, said regarding relations between the two countries: “Even during the war, relations between the two countries were not interrupted. During that period, we also witnessed exchanges of delegations and the signing of important agreements, including the agreement on the Herat–Mazar-e-Sharif railway project, which was reached at the height of the conflict.”
Representatives of the two countries’ chambers of commerce and agriculture emphasized facilitating trade, removing trade barriers, and expanding economic cooperation.
Kamaluddin Tawhid, head of the Afghanistan-Iran Joint Chamber of Commerce, said: “The Islamic Republic of Iran, with its technical expertise, industrial experience, technological capabilities, and access to regional markets, can be a valuable partner for Afghan investors and producers.”
The meeting was held on the sidelines of Afghanistan’s first international exhibition of agricultural and livestock products, with the stated aim of expanding economic cooperation, increasing joint investment, and strengthening trade ties between Afghanistan and Iran.