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Rail trade between Afghanistan and Iran to reach 1.5 million tons in 1405: officials
According to the embassy, the announcement was made during a meeting between the heads of the railway authorities of Iran and Afghanistan.
Iran’s embassy in Kabul says rail trade between Afghanistan and Iran is expected to see a major increase in 1405, with around 1.5 million tons of goods set to be transported between the two countries via the Khaf–Herat railway line.
According to the embassy, the announcement was made during a meeting between the heads of the railway authorities of Iran and Afghanistan, where both sides discussed expanding bilateral rail cooperation and boosting trade volumes.
Officials said the increased use of the Khaf–Herat railway will play a significant role in strengthening bilateral trade, reducing transit costs, facilitating exports and imports, and improving Afghanistan’s access to regional markets. The railway is regarded as one of the key infrastructure projects linking Afghanistan to regional transport corridors.
Authorities from both countries emphasized that expanding rail cooperation would further enhance commercial exchanges and help deepen economic ties between Kabul and Tehran, contributing to broader regional connectivity and economic growth.
Alireza Bekdeli, acting ambassador of Iran in Kabul, has expressed interest from Iranian companies in investing in Afghanistan’s iron and oil sectors during a meeting with the country’s Minister of Mines and Petroleum.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, the meeting, held on Saturday, focused on enhancing economic cooperation, expanding bilateral relations, and promoting partnerships across multiple sectors, with a particular emphasis on investment in Afghanistan’s mineral resources.
Bekdeli highlighted Afghanistan’s improved security situation and its abundant mineral reserves as a key opportunity to strengthen cooperation between the two nations. He also underlined Iranian companies’ enthusiasm for investing in the country’s iron and oil industries.
Minister Hedayatullah Badri welcomed the interest shown by Iranian firms and assured them that the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum would provide full support and cooperation to facilitate these investments.
Uzbekistan exported $1.3 billion worth of goods to Afghanistan between January and November 2025, according to official data released by the National Statistics Committee of Uzbekistan.
Afghanistan remains one of Uzbekistan’s key trading partners in the region, with bilateral trade encompassing a wide range of goods, including food products, construction materials, machinery, and consumer goods.
The data shows that Uzbekistan’s exports to Afghanistan have been steadily increasing over the past few years, reflecting growing economic cooperation and strong trade ties between the two countries.
The National Statistics Committee’s report highlights that Afghanistan ranks third destination for Uzbek exports after Russia and China.
The total value of Uzbekistan’s foreign trade for the January–November 2025 period has also increased, signaling continued recovery and growth in the Uzbek economy.
Russia has almost doubled exports of liquefied petroleum gas in the January – November period to ex-Soviet republics in Central Asia and Afghanistan to 1.016 million metric tons, Reuters reported citing sources on Friday.
Moscow has had to divert supplies of LPG, or propane and butane, from Europe, which introduced restrictions on LPG imports from Russia in December 2024 over the war in Ukraine.
Traders said supplies to Afghanistan, as well as to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan now account for around 36% of Russia’s total LPG exports, up from 19% in 2024.
Afghanistan is Russia’s largest buyer of LPG in that region. In July, Russia accepted the credentials of a new ambassador of Afghanistan, making it the first nation to recognise the country’s Islamic Emirate government.
According to the sources, supplies of Russia’s LPG to the country, including from Kazrosgaz, a joint venture with Kazakhstan, have jumped 1.5 times in the first 11 months of the year to 418,000 tons.
Traders said that Russia’s LPG supplies to Afghanistan have increased partially at the expense of declining supplies from Iran, which has been sanctioned by the United States.
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