Isfahan-Afghanistan Sign MOU On Economic Co-op

Isfahan, May 22, IRNA - Isfahan Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Mines Chief Khosro Kasaeian and the Deputy Chief of Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce Khan Jan Alokozai signed a Memorandum of Understanding here on Monday. The exchange of economic information, as well as fuel, food, medicine and construction equipments have been decaled as the subjects of this Memorandum of Understanding. Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce deputy chief said in his address to the meeting that Afghan people want deeper political-economic cooperation with Iran. “Iranian goods have a high quality and Afghan people prefere them to the similar products produced in other countries.” Afghanistan and Iran share an extensive history. Afghan-Iranian relations have improved since the fall of the Taliban and Iran has played an active role in Afghanistan’s reconstruction. Afghanistan shares a long and intertwined history with Iran. There are also deep ties in language, its people and culture. As an eastern dialect of Persian, Dari is the dominant language in Iran had supported the cause of the Afghan resistance against the Soviet occupation. Iran is also strongly against the American military presence in Afghanistan. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), about 1 million Afghan refugees live in Iran. Since late 2001, the new Afghan government under Hamid Karzai has engaged in cordial relations with Iran. Afghanistan has an embassy in Tehran and a consulate in Mashad. Trade between the two nations has increased dramatically since the overthrow of the Taliban in 2001. Iran and Afghanistan plan on building a new rail line connecting Mashhad to Herat and eventually to Kabul. In 2009 Iran was the fourth largest investor in Afghanistan, which is mainly in the construction of roads and bridges as well as agriculture and health care. Iran exports oil products, cement, construction material, carpets, home appliances, and detergents and imports nuts, carpets, agricultural products as well as handicrafts from Afghanistan. Afghanistan imports 90 percent of its needs, except agricultural products./end