TEHRAN – Head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA) said that Iran and Afghanistan have put facilitating trade and customs relations on the agenda, IRNA reported.

“Facilitating trade, exchanging customs information, solving border problems and developing transit are on the agenda of Iran and Afghanistan,” Mehdi Mirashrafi said after a video conference meeting with his Afghan counterpart.

Following his meeting with the Afghan official, Mirasharfi said: “The two sides decided to prepare a comprehensive strategic economic document, considering the determinations of the two countries for strategic cooperation.”

Referring to the pilot activation of the Iran-Afghanistan-Uzbekistan Tripartite Transit Corridor and the Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan-Afghanistan-Iran (KTAI) Quadripartite Corridor, he noted: "This trend shows the serious determination of the Iranian Customs to facilitate transit through Afghanistan and connect Central Asian countries to international waters through the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.”

According to Mirasharfi, the Director-General of Afghan Customs has welcomed the idea for the implementation of combined transport and under the framework of the TIR Convention, and it was decided that the Afghan side would seriously pursue the issue.

Pointing to Chabahar Port as one of the major issues discussed in the meeting, he said: "The port of Chabahar is an important and vital port for Afghanistan in the field of transit of goods through Iran, and accordingly, the Afghan side has demanded reducing visa fees and transit fees and reconsidering the penalties for customs violations in the transit route through Iran.”

According to Mirashrafi, regarding the electronic exchange of information between the customs of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Afghanistan, it was decided to review the necessary technical coordination, while taking into account security considerations between the two countries.

Emphasizing the commonalities between the two countries, Mirashrafi said:” Afghanistan and Iran are two countries with common historical, linguistic, cultural and religious roots, and by preparing a comprehensive strategic document and expanding the interactions between the two nations, we will see growth and prosperity and increase peace and stability in the region.”

EF/MA