KABUL – Having met with senior Afghan officials in Kabul on Sunday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the two sides have agreed on working toward a “strategic” roadmap which addresses issues of mutual concern.  

“Iran and Afghanistan agreed to assign five committees to work out a strategic document on political-security, economic, educational and cultural, water and environment and refugee issues,” Zarif told reporters. 

The visit capped months of bilateral negotiations between Tehran and Kabul, the top diplomat stressed, noting that not until a general framework was achieved, draft plans had been proposed and upgraded.  

One fertile ground for closer collaboration between the two countries is cultural and educational affairs, given a large number of Afghan nationals living in Iran, whom Zarif called them “guests”. 

“As two nations with religious and language affinities, Iran and Afghanistan can expand cooperation in the areas,” Zarif highlighted, saying: “Upwards of 410,000 students and 17,000 Afghan university students are studying in Iran.” 

Zarif sat down with his counterpart Salahuddin Rabani, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, and former Afghan President Hamid Karzai. 

AK/PA