Afghan, Iran officials sign trade agreement

KABUL (Agencies): Iranian media reported that two provinces of Afghanistan and Iran signed an agreement covering the energy, transportation, customs, production, and investment sectors.

The agreement signed during the fourth meeting of the Joint Economic Committee of Khorasan Razavi Province and Herat Province of Afghanistan said foreign news agency.

Iranian officials said that four working groups on customs and trade, transportation and transit, energy and fuel, and a production and investment working group held meetings to review issues of priority for the parties which led to the signing of an agreement. Ali Rasoulian, deputy governor of Khorasan Razavi Province added that both sides agreed to facilitate the exchange of goods in the Dogarun border and ease investment and improve interactions so that healthier and better exchanges could be carried out at a lower cost in the Dogarun border.

Based on the agreements, the working hours of the border crossing will be increased, and a committee will meet on a monthly basis at the Dogarun border to review the existing obstacles and problems, he added. The two sides also agreed to have financial exchanges with better and easier planning, he said, noting that power transmission lines from Khorasan Razavi to Afghanistan will also increase from 132 KV to 500 KV, which will benefit both parties.

Mouneseh Hassanzadeh, Herat deputy governor-general for social affairs, said that the agreement covering four fields. Negotiations at the 4th meeting of the Joint Economic Summit of Khorasan Razavi and Herat were aimed at improving bilateral relations, growing economic relations, and creating investment opportunities, she said. Notable that 4th meeting of the Joint Economic Summit of Khorasan Razavi and Herat was held from January 7-8 in Mashhad.