Iran has assured its assistance to help rebuild the Afghan economy, the Taliban’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said. Traditionally, Iran has been the largest trading partner of Afghanistan.  Hasan Kazemi Qomi, the Iranian envoy to Afghanistan, made the remarks as he met with the Taliban’s Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amir Khan Muttaqi,  and added that Iran will assist various sectors of Afghanistan including mining, agriculture, energy, and railways.

“The Iranian envoy for Afghanistan expressed his country’s readiness to help agriculture, mining, and energy in Afghanistan,” Hafez Zia Ahmad Takal, deputy spokesman of Taliban’s Foreign Ministry, was quoted as saying by Tolonews.

Prior to the fall of Kabul, Iran was Afghanistan’s largest trading partner. Despite sanctions on Iran, Afghanistan was exempted from the sanctions and was allowed to import fuel from Tehran. 

After August last year, when the Taliban returned to power, the US and others blocked developmental assistance and the Taliban’s access to the almost $10 billion Afghan national reserves kept in US financial institutions.  

The Afghan economy has all but collapsed following sanctions from the western world.

“Iran is an economic and commercial partner for Afghanistan in the region. Iran envoy’s trip will have an impact on developing economic and trade relations between the two countries and such cooperation will benefit both Iran and Afghanistan,” said Abdul Latif Nazari, Deputy Minister of Economy.

(SAM)