TEHRAN- Amir Khan Muttaqi, Taliban’s acting Foreign Minister has characterized relations between Kabul and Tehran as progressing towards growth.

The deputy spokesperson for Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry, Hafiz Zia Ahmad Takal, quoted Muttaqi on his X account on Saturday.

Muttaqi has made the remarks during his meeting with an Iranian media delegation in Kabul.

According to the spokesperson, Muttaqi stated at the meeting that Afghanistan and Iran have bright futures.

Muttaqi has referred to Iran as Afghanistan’s good neighbor, as the spokesperson pointed out.

Takal indicated that the two sides also discussed the situation in Afghanistan and the Taliban’s foreign policy.

In a meeting with Muttaqi, in Tehran on Sunday, Hossein Amir Abdollahian, the Foreign Minister of Iran, said that Afghanistan has to take practical steps to address the current issues, such as water sharing and border security, between the two nations.

He pointed out that Tehran and Kabul have established significant ties in a number of areas and expressed hope that the acting Taliban government in Afghanistan would work with Tehran to find practical solutions to some of its current issues.

The senior Iranian diplomat also pointed to a recent meeting in Tehran in favor of Palestine and praised the Afghan delegation, led by Muttaqi, for its active involvement in the gathering.

He also discussed developments in the besieged Gaza Strip and encouraged all Muslim and freedom-seeking countries to assist the Palestinian people in the face of the genocidal atrocities being committed by the occupying Israeli regime.

In a Sunday meeting with Iranian Ambassador to Afghanistan Hassan Kazemi Qomi, Muttaqi reiterated the need for dialogue and understanding to address the bilateral issues between Afghanistan and Iran.

The Iranian envoy underscored Tehran’s support for the current Afghan government, stating that Iran had staunchly defended Afghanistan’s position during a recent Doha meeting. 

Qomi also emphasized the importance of managing the shared border between the two nations through close coordination.

Muttaqi, for his part, emphasized the enduring and amicable ties between the two countries and advocated for the resumption of Afghan prisoner transfers and the facilitation of Afghan visa issuance procedures. 

He echoed the sentiment that dialogue and mutual understanding would pave the way for resolving the existing bilateral matters.

The meeting also reportedly delved into the topic of Helmand River water rights, highlighting the need for a collaborative approach to address this shared resource management issue.

These discussions underscore the ongoing efforts by Afghanistan and Iran to foster constructive relations and address the concerns that arise between the two neighboring nations.