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Indian, Iranian foreign ministers meet, discuss Afghanistan and Chabahar Port
They exchanged views on regional and international developments, with a particular focus on the situation in Afghanistan, which also wants to expand its trade relations with countries through Chabahar Port.
The Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar says he met with his Iranian counterpart, Seyyed Abbas Araghchi in Muscat on Sunday and discussed various issues including the situation in Afghanistan and Chabahar Port.
In a post on X, Jaishankar described the meeting with Araghchi as “good” and said they discussed bilateral relations and regional developments.
Araghchi and Jaishankar were both in Muscat, Oman, for the 8th Indian Ocean Conference.
Araghchi said in an interview with Indian media that Tehran attaches “great importance” to their relations with India.
“In the past, there was a lot of trade between Iran and India. There have been ups and downs, but there is a strong will between the two sides to strengthen relations and we will continue to do so.
Araghchi also said: “Trade cooperation between the two countries is ongoing, and although there have always been ups and downs, both sides are determined to continue the cooperation.”
On Chabahar Port, he said: “We have a 10-year agreement with India regarding Chabahar Port. We are aware that the Indians are consulting with the Americans about the cancellation of the exemption for this port.”
“We know that questions have been raised by a third party, we know that the Indians are consulting with the Americans on this matter, so we will leave the decision-making to our friends.”
The two foreign ministers also reviewed various aspects of Iran-India relations, including political, cultural, economic, and trade cooperation.
They exchanged views on regional and international developments, with a particular focus on the situation in Afghanistan, which also wants to expand its trade relations with countries through Chabahar Port.
Experts have said if Chabahar Port is exempted from US sanctions, Afghanistan can also export its commercial goods to different countries using this port.
Iran is one of Afghanistan’s largest trading partners in the region and trade relations between the two countries has continued to grow.
In 2024, the trade volume between Iran and Afghanistan increased to $3.197 billion, an 84% increase from 2023.
Experts have meanwhile said one of the key factors behind Tehran and Kabul’s drive to expand trade between themselves is to offset the effects of sanctions leveled against both countries.
Pakistan on Friday summoned Afghan Deputy Head of Mission in Islamabad to convey “strong demarche” over a deadly attack on a military camp in North Waziristan District that killed four Pakistani soldiers.
In a statement, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the attack was carried out by a faction of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
The statement said that Pakistan conveyed “grave concern over the continued support and facilitation” provided by the Islamic Emirate to TTP.
Pakistan has demanded “a full investigation and decisive action against the perpetrators and facilitators of the terrorist attacks launched against Pakistan from Afghan soil.”
It urged the Islamic Emirate “to take immediate, concrete and verifiable measures against all terror groups operating from its territory, including their leadership, and deny the continued use of Afghan soil for terrorism against Pakistan.
According to the statement, the Islamic Emirate has been “categorically informed that Pakistan reserves the right to defend its sovereignty and protect its citizens, and will take all necessary measures to respond to terrorism originating from Afghan soil.”
Pakistani officials have repeatedly claimed that attacks in the country are originated from Afghan soil, a charge the Islamic Emirate denies.
President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has underscored Afghanistan’s continued importance in regional cooperation, saying the country remains one of the key areas of interaction among regional partners.
Addressing the first summit of the “Central Asia Plus Japan” dialogue, Mirziyoyev said participating countries share a common aspiration to see Afghanistan become peaceful, stable, and oriented toward meaningful development.
The Uzbek president praised Japan’s longstanding and consistent support for Afghanistan, noting that Tokyo has for many years been among the leading donors and partners assisting the Afghan people.
He expressed confidence that coordinated efforts and joint contributions by regional countries and Japan would help improve living standards in Afghanistan, advance socio-economic and infrastructure development, and facilitate the country’s active involvement in regional economic projects.
The Embassy of Japan in Afghanistan announced on Friday that the country has allocated $19.5 million in humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan.
In a statement, the Japanese Embassy said it hopes the aid will help bring positive change to the lives of vulnerable Afghans.
According to the statement, the assistance will cover the basic humanitarian needs of vulnerable communities in Afghanistan.
The embassy added that the aid will be delivered through United Nations agencies, international organizations, and Japanese non-governmental organizations operating in Afghanistan.
Japan’s total assistance to Afghanistan since August 2021 has reached more than $549 million.
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