Iran seeks broad expansion of cooperation with Afghanistan
Aref added that strengthening bilateral ties will help remove barriers and create new avenues for cooperation.
Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref says Tehran plans to significantly broaden its cooperation with Afghanistan, citing the long-standing cultural, economic, and social ties between the two neighbors.
Speaking at a coordination meeting on Afghanistan, Aref emphasized the need for a comprehensive cooperation framework between Iran and the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. He instructed all relevant ministries and institutions to submit their sector-specific proposals within a month so the plan can be finalized.
“The Comprehensive Iran–Afghanistan Cooperation Program should be drafted by the Joint Cooperation Commission and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” Aref said. “All ministries must send their specialized proposals within the set timeframe so the program can be completed and used as the basis for bilateral engagement.”
He noted that Afghan authorities have shown clear willingness to deepen relations with Iran. Over the past year, he said, increased trade exchanges, official communications, and sustained diplomatic engagement all point to a more constructive approach from Kabul.
Aref added that strengthening bilateral ties will help remove barriers and create new avenues for cooperation.
His remarks come as economic and trade relations between the two countries continue to grow. Annual trade has now reached $3.6 billion, making Iran one of Afghanistan’s biggest trading partners. Afghan economic officials say expanded cooperation with Tehran is mutually beneficial for both sides.
Aref also underscored the importance of cultural, academic, scientific, and technological collaboration, calling these pillars essential to Iran’s broader strategy toward Afghanistan. He stressed that engagement should extend beyond technical fields to include education and cultural exchange.
His comments coincide with the recent visit of Afghanistan’s Minister of Higher Education, Nida Mohammad Nadim, who traveled to Tehran at Iran’s invitation to discuss strengthening academic cooperation and sharing expertise.
As work continues on a comprehensive cooperation roadmap, officials from both countries express optimism that deeper engagement will support economic growth and contribute to greater regional stability.
Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has officially ratified the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan.
The agreement was first signed on 10 June 2025 during the Tashkent International Investment Forum by Uzbekistan’s Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Laziz Kudratov and Afghanistan’s Minister Nuriddin Azizi, Uzbekistan Daily reported.
The PTA eliminates tariffs on 14 categories of goods, simplifies the issuance of phytosanitary permits for Afghan agricultural products, and introduces additional support measures for Uzbek exporters.
In February 2026, Uzbekistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khodjaev held online talks with Azizi to accelerate the agreement’s entry into force, advance investment projects, and promote industrial cooperation. A new joint business forum is planned to take place in Kabul after the conclusion of Ramadan.
The agreement is expected to strengthen bilateral trade, boost economic ties, and create new opportunities for Afghan businesses and exporters.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has announced that the Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka series, originally set to start on 13 March 2026 in the UAE, has been postponed to the last quarter of 2026 due to logistical challenges, including flight restrictions arising from the Middle East conflict.
The series, Afghanistan’s first hosting of Sri Lanka, was scheduled for three T20Is at Sharjah Cricket Stadium (13, 15, 17 March) and three ODIs at Dubai International Cricket Stadium (20, 22, 25 March).
Despite preparations and coordination with the Emirates Cricket Board, unforeseen developments made travel and operational planning unfeasible, ACB reported adding Sri Lanka Cricket Board was fully informed, and the postponement was made with their consent.
The UAE remains the preferred venue, and new dates will be announced later.
A senior official from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) says many Afghans living in Iran are facing increasingly difficult decisions as insecurity and economic hardship deepen across the region.
Arafat Jamal, the UNHCR representative in Afghanistan, told Al Jazeera that Afghans in Iran are caught between two difficult realities: remaining in Iran amid growing instability and economic strain, or returning to Afghanistan where many also face uncertainty and insecurity.
“At the moment, it seems to be more of a preemptive move,” Jamal said, referring to Afghans leaving Iran. “People are describing bombs falling around them. There is a great deal of fear, but they are also describing a dysfunctional economy.”
According to Jamal, approximately 110,000 Afghans have returned from Iran so far this year, many driven by fear of escalating conflict and deteriorating living conditions.
“For these people there are no good choices,” he said. “They are fleeing one war only to come to another,” Jamal added, referring to ongoing cross-border tensions and military activity involving Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The UNHCR official noted that the current wave of returns follows an already unprecedented movement of people.
In 2025, around 2.8 million Afghans returned to Afghanistan, making it the largest refugee return movement in the world that year.
Humanitarian agencies warn that Afghanistan is struggling to absorb such large numbers of returnees, particularly as the country faces widespread poverty, limited employment opportunities, and reduced international aid.
Jamal also cautioned that the United Nations currently lacks sufficient funding to maintain long-term assistance programs for returning refugees.
Without additional financial support, aid organizations may struggle to provide housing, food, and basic services to the growing number of returnees arriving in Afghanistan.
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