Trade between Iran and Afghanistan through Abu Nasr Farahi customs terminal, known as Mahirood on the Iranian side of the border, as well as Islam Qala terminal, known as Dogharoun on the Iranian side, in Afghanistan’s Farah and Herat provinces respectively has halted after the Taliban seized control of these two checkpoints on Thursday, according to the spokesperson of the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration.
“We ask traders to avoid Dogharoun and Mahiroud border crossings until further notice,” Rouhollah Latifi was also quoted as saying by Fars News Agency.
“There are no Afghan customs personnel working in these two checkpoints so there is no point in sending consignments to these borders,” he added.
The spokesman said Milak terminal in Sistan-Baluchestan Province remains open for cross-border trade, yet the redirection of trucks from the two aforementioned crossings to Milak is not possible due to the limited capacity and facilities in this southernmost terminal with the neighboring Afghanistan.
“The acute conditions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic in Sistan-Baluchestan will put the drivers in danger of contracting the virus since long queues will form behind the border. Therefore, we advise owners of commodities to presently export their products to other destinations,” he added.
Mohammad Mehdi Javanmard-Qassab, the former Iranian commercial attaché to Afghanistan, says neither Taliban nor Afghanistan’s central government have placed any restrictions on trade with Iran.
“In a notice, the Taliban have stated that they have not set any bans or limits for the travel of traders, and customs offices can continue their usual activities. As far as we know, Farah Chamber of Commerce and members of the Taliban have held a meeting and other such meetings are also scheduled in the coming days. Mahiroud border crossing is expected to reopen soon.”
Javanmard-Qassab noted that if imports of goods into Afghanistan are delayed or banned, commodity prices will rise and this is not at all what Afghanistan wants.
“Therefore, we expect activity in the two closed border crossings to go back to normal soon. The only problem right now is the issue of security.”
Hossein Salimi, chairman of Iran-Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce, believes that the closure of Dogharoun checkpoint as well as the rail connection via Herat’s Islam Qala will have negative effects on bilateral trade.
“What concerns us is that the future and direction of Iran and Afghanistan trade is in no way predictable, if Taliban’s control over the country continues.”
Iran’s Foreign Ministry recently said border guards are protecting borders with Afghanistan and there is no concern about the insecurity that erupted in western Afghanistan’s border adjacent to Iran.
Spokesman of the ministry, Saeed Khatibzadeh in a conference confirmed that the borders of Iran are safe and peaceful.
The Army of the Islamic Republic of Iran has also said that the eastern border with Afghanistan is safe.
Khatibzadeh also confirmed that a number of staff of Islam Qala and Abu Nasr Farahi customs terminal have crossed the border into Iran after insecurity erupted there.
Nearly 2,000 Afghan government forces also crossed northern borders into Tajikistan after the Taliban took several districts of Badakhshan Province bordering Tajikistan, Khaama Press news Agency reported.
Taliban officials said on Friday they had taken control of 85% of territory in Afghanistan, Reuters reported.
Afghan government officials dismissed the assertion that the Taliban controlled most of the country as part of a propaganda campaign launched as foreign forces, including the United States, withdraw after almost 20 years of fighting.
But local Afghan officials said Taliban fighters, emboldened by the withdrawal, had captured an important district in Herat Province.
Torghundi, a northern town on the border with Turkmenistan, had also been captured by the Taliban overnight, Afghan and Taliban officials said.
Hundreds of Afghan security personnel and refugees continued to flee across the border into neighboring Iran and Tajikistan.
Latest data show Iran exported $1.2 billion worth of non-oil goods to Afghanistan during the first eight months of last fiscal year (March 20-Nov. 21, 2020).
Iron and steel bars had a major share of the exported products with 177,700 tons worth $70 million.
Iran also exported 798,100 tons of cement worth $21.4 million to the neighboring country during the period.
