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Austin extols value of US-Mid East partnership at Manama Dialogue

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US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said on Saturday the United States and its partners will keep up its focus on counterterrorism even as they shift their approach to an over-the-horizon concept in Afghanistan.

Speaking at the annual International Institute for Strategic Studies Manama Dialogue in Bahrain, Austin said: “We do crucial work together with our friends in this region – to deter aggression from any quarter, to disrupt terrorist networks, and to maintain freedom of navigation in some of the world’s most important waterways.”

He said the US and its Middle East allies have for decades worked side-by-side and that their forces have trained together, planned together, and worked together, making “us stronger together”.

Austin said this was evident during Operation Allies Refuge, the withdrawal and evacuation of troops and foreigners from Afghanistan in August.

“As we wound down the 20-year war in Afghanistan, the world witnessed again the power of our network of partnerships.

“When America asked for help, our friends stood up. And leadership from this region helped us to evacuate 124,000 people from Afghanistan, and to provide safe transit for them in the Gulf and beyond.”

He also said America’s network of allies and partners in the Middle East and beyond “is a huge force multiplier. It’s a vast strategic advantage.

“It is unmatched. It is unparalleled. And it is unrivaled.”

The conference brings together defense ministers, chiefs of defense, and other high-ranking government officials from across the Middle East.

Outside of the conference, Austin also met with with Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa in Manama and underscored the strength and importance of the U.S.-Bahrain relationship.

He also thanked the Crown Prince for Bahrain’s cooperation on critical priorities including maritime security and promoting enhanced regional security cooperation.

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Energy Minister Mansoor meets with Afghan investors in Tashkent

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Acting Minister of Energy and Water Abdul Latif Mansoor visited the Afghan Embassy during his official trip to Uzbekistan and met with Abdul Ghaffar Bahr, the Islamic Emirate’s ambassador to Tashkent, embassy officials and several Afghan investors.

In a statement issued by the Afghan energy ministry on Wednesday, Mansoor assured the Afghan investors living in Tashkent that IEA is providing the necessary facilities for their investment in Afghanistan.

He urged them to invest in the country’s energy and water sectors, adding that Afghanistan now presents a good opportunity for investors due to improved security.

He emphasized that the IEA is committed to supporting the private sector and has created legal, technical, and administrative facilities for investors.

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Iran plans to invest $5 billion in Afghanistan’s iron mines

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Iranian media have reported that the country is investing $5 billion in Afghanistan’s iron mines.

Alireza Bikdeli, acting ambassador of Iran in Kabul, stated that Afghanistan’s rich mineral resources present an opportunity for cooperation between the two neighboring countries.

He added that this investment would enhance Iran’s position in global steel production.

Fars News Agency reported that, given Iran’s increasing need for raw materials in its mining industries, the investment is expected to yield up to sixfold returns.

Iran imports each ton of Afghan iron mine at a price of $100 and exports it as steel at a final price of $600.

According to the latest data from Afghanistan’s Ministry of Mines, Iran has invested $2.3 billion in the country’s mining sector, including iron, over the past several years.

Abdul Nasir Reshtia, the executive director of the Union of Iron Smelting Factories, said: “If the country’s mines are extracted in a technical and professional manner, and all processing and production stages are carried out domestically, we will witness significant economic effectiveness.”

Reports indicate that the Iran-Afghanistan cooperation agreement on iron ore mining is a five-year contract, expected to generate $1.2 billion in annual profit for Iran.

Over the past three years, Iran-Afghanistan relations have expanded, with bilateral trade reaching $4 billion annually.

Meanwhile, Iranian officials have granted their border provinces the authority to fully utilize all resources to enhance relations with Afghanistan’s border provinces, particularly in the economic and trade sectors.

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IEA’s high-level delegation arrives in Kazan

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A high-ranking delegation of the Islamic Emirate, led by Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, arrived on Wednesday in the city of Kazan, the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan, to participate in the 16th Kazan International Economic Forum.

In a statement issued by the deputy PM’s office, the delegation of the Islamic Emirate was given a “warm welcome” at Kazan International Airport by the Deputy Leader of the Republic of Tatarstan.

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