Tehran, IRNA – President Masoud Pezeshkian has told Afghanistan’s acting foreign minister that Iran is ready to expand cooperation with its neighboring country in an “environment of understanding” in order for the existing issues between the two countries to be resolved.
President Pezeshkian met with Amir Khan Muttaqi on Sunday on the sidelines of the Tehran Dialogue Forum 2025 which brings together senior officials and diplomats from 53 countries, as well as the United Nations. The forum is held in the Iranian capital Tehran on Sunday and Monday.
The President said that his country considers a duty assisting the people of Afghanistan based on religious principles, adding that Iran is ready to develop cooperation with Afghanistan in different fields.
“Based on our basic and strategic principles, we deem as unfounded any disputes among Islamic countries, and we consider the strengthening of brotherhood and cohesion as a reasonable substitute to any division in the Islamic Ummah,” Pezeshkian said.
Amir Khan Muttaqi, for his part, called Iran a well-intentioned and good neighbor of Afghanistan, saying that his country is seeking to a be a good and trustable neighbor for Iran as well.
He also said that Iran and Afghanistan share deep-rooted religious, cultural and language commonalities, and have common views on international and regional issues including Palestine.
After 47 years, Afghanistan has managed to establish a central government, where the era of occupation has come to an end and all ethnic groups are living in an environment of co-existence and brotherhood, Muttaqi said.
“Adopting a balanced policy, we are seeking a broader and constructive interaction with regional countries, especially the Islamic Republic of Iran,” he noted.
The volume of trade between Iran and Afghanistan now stands at $3 billion, he further said, expressing hope that Afghanistan, with the help of Iran, can turn into a safe place for regional trade and transit now that the cultivation of narcotics has come to zero in Afghanistan and the Daesh terrorist group has completely been driven out from the country.
Muttaqi also expressed gratitude towards Iran for hosting millions of refugees from Afghanistan, and said that his country is making efforts to gradually return those refugees to their homeland.
He also said that Afghanistan intends to turn the borders into common opportunities, and promote trade with Iran to high levels through expanding economic cooperation.
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