Mohammad Najafian, Secretary of the Ahvaz Chamber of Commerce in Iran, says that the port, road and railway infrastructure of Khuzestan Province could provide Afghan goods with access to markets in Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and other Gulf countries, while reducing the cost and time required to transport commercial goods.
According to Iran’s IRNA News Agency, Najafian said that traders and businesspeople in Herat could utilise Khuzestan’s transport infrastructure to ship their products and export goods to regional markets.
He noted that making use of Khuzestan’s ports and transport networks would not only reduce transportation costs but also accelerate Afghanistan’s access to southern regional markets and create new opportunities for cooperation between the private sectors of the two countries.
The Secretary of the Ahvaz Chamber of Commerce also emphasised the importance of trade diplomacy in addressing economic barriers. He said that the appointment of Iran’s new trade counsellor in Afghanistan could help strengthen business ties between the two countries and identify new opportunities for investment and cooperation.
Najafian also described Herat’s agricultural potential as complementary to Khuzestan’s processing industries. He said Herat had considerable capacity in agricultural and livestock production, while Khuzestan, with its food-processing and packaging industries, could play a role in adding value to these products.
He added that joint investment in food production and processing, agricultural product processing and the establishment of packaging facilities could increase the value of goods and facilitate their entry into third-country markets.
According to IRNA, the development of transit routes and railway infrastructure has become one of the key areas of economic cooperation between Iran and Afghanistan in recent years. The Islam Qala border crossing in Herat and the Dogharoon crossing in Iran’s Razavi Khorasan Province are among the major land trade routes between the two countries.
Officials from both countries have previously emphasised the need to increase the capacity for cross-border freight transport, simplify customs procedures and provide greater facilities for traders.
Meanwhile, the Khaf-Herat railway is another major infrastructure project aimed at expanding the movement of goods between the two countries. According to published reports, the railway provides a route for transporting Afghan goods, including mineral products, to Iran’s southern ports and other markets.
Writer:Roya Stanikzai
