TEHRAN - Afghanistan Ambassador to Tehran Abdul Ghafoor Liwal says his country plans to increase commodity transit through Iranian Chabahar Port, IRNA reported.

Liwal made the remarks in a meeting with the Chairman of the Board of Chabahar Free Trade–Industrial Zone Organization Abdolrahim Kordi on Wednesday.

In the meeting, Liwal said expansion of all-out relations won’t be possible without stronger economic ties and “we are determined for stronger presence of our businessmen and traders in Chabahar Port.” 

“Chabahar is an economic and a transit bridge for Afghanistan and we are going to expand our economic relations through increasing exports and imports through Chabahar,” he said.

According to the official, following the country’s plans for boosting trade in Chabahar, setting up an Afghan bank branch in the port is one of the plans that Afghanistan is pursuing along with other programs to resolve issues like residency and certification problems.

Kordi for his part underlined some of the port’s capacities and investment potentials, saying more than 176 Afghan companies have registered with Chabahar Free Trade–Industrial Zone Organization for trade activities in the port, however only 32 of them are currently active.

“Chabahar is a strategic port and Afghan businessmen and traders need to have a greater presence in it and increase their investment,” Kordi stressed.

The official assured Liwal that the organization will have the outmost cooperation with all foreign investors and there would be no limitations in this regard.
“Chabahar has a bright future, and all the problems that the investors are facing will be resolved ….there is no worries,” he emphasized.

Afghanistan officially started exporting goods to India through Chabahar port in a ceremony held in early February.

The event was attended by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, along with Iranian Ambassador to Kabul Mohammadreza Bahrami and Indian Ambassador to Afghanistan Vinay Kumar.

In 2016, Iran, India and Afghanistan decided to jointly establish a trade route for land-locked Central Asian countries.

India committed up to $500 million for the development of Iran’s Chabahar Port along with associated roads and rail lines.

EF/MA