Iran’s exports to Afghanistan stood at $365 million in the first quarter of the current Iranian year (March 21-June 21), registering an 8% growth compared with the same period of last year, according to Iran’s former commercial attaché to Afghanistan.
Iron and steel rods, agricultural products such as apple and potato, food products and floor coverings were the main exported products from Iran to the neighboring country during the period.
“Afghanistan was Iran's fourth largest export destination among neighboring countries and fifth in the fiscal 2020-21 [ended March 20, 2021],” Mohammad Mehdi Javanmard-Qassab was also quoted as saying by Fars News Agency.
Exports to this neighboring country hit $2.3 billion in the fiscal 2020-21, he added.
Conflict between the Taliban and Afghan forces led to the closure of Dogharoun border terminal (known as Islam Qala on the Afghan side) in recent days.
Iranian officials and the Taliban plan to reopen the border crossing to let traders continue export and import to resolve people’s problems in Afghanistan, Afghanistan Times reported.
Mohammad Taqi Hashemi, the head of foreign nationals department in Iran’s Khorasan Razavi Province, was quoted as saying by BBC Dari recently that Islam Qala border crossing would probably reopen and normalize activities within the next few days.
Taliban Spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid also said that he hoped the Islam Qala border crossing would reopen so that “the merchandise is not held behind the border points and businessmen do not suffer losses”.
The Islam Qala crossing border in the western Herat Province was closed by Iranian side after Taliban took control of the area. It borders Iran’s Tayebad area of Khorasan Razavi.
Mujahid said the two sides want the border crossing to begin “ordinary activities” in Islam Qala, adding that the two sides would let export and import be done normally under the law.
“The need of Afghan people and local residents living in border areas requires that the Islam Qala-Dogharoun crossing point have stable activities,” Hashemi said.
He noted that security at the border point was good since Taliban took control of the border crossing.
The government of Afghanistan did not comment.
The official also said Iranian trucks, which were in Afghanistan when the Taliban captured Islam Qala, crossed the border and entered Iran without any problem.
Hashemi said he was waiting for formal orders from Tehran for the reopening despite the Taliban’s readiness to reopen it soon.
Islam Qala is the most important border crossing connecting Afghanistan and its closure seriously affects the prices of goods in the neighboring market because a lot of essentials are imported from Iran.
Meanwhile, Mahirou border crossing (known as Abu Nasr Farabi on the Afghan side) is also under Taliban control. Yet, the crossing was reopened on July 10 soon after the temporary closure.
The insurgent group also controls the Gholam Khan border port with Pakistan, Sher Khan Port with Tajikistan and Torghundi Port with Turkmenistan.
Milak Terminal in Sistan-Baluchestan Province has remained open for cross-border trade.
