Iran seeks broad expansion of cooperation with Afghanistan

Aref added that strengthening bilateral ties will help remove barriers and create new avenues for cooperation.

Published

6 months ago

December 8, 2025

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.

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Sport

Afghanistan A edge India A by four runs in rain-hit Tri-Nation opener

Published

1 hour ago

June 11, 2026

Ariana News

Afghanistan A defeated India A by four runs via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method in the opening match of the Tri-Nation A Series in Sri Lanka on Thursday.

The one-day tournament, which features Afghanistan A, India A and Sri Lanka A, got underway earlier this week, with Afghanistan A making a winning start in a match ultimately decided by rain interruptions.

Chasing India A’s target, Afghanistan A were 177 for 2 in 25.5 overs when rain forced players from the field for the final time. At that stage, Afghanistan A were ahead of the DLS par score, giving them a four-run victory when officials called off the match.

The result capped a strong batting performance from Afghanistan A, who recovered from the early loss of two wickets to build a solid partnership between Bahir Shah and Imran. The pair steadily kept the chase on track, rotating the strike effectively while finding timely boundaries.

Imran brought up a well-crafted half-century during the innings, reaching the milestone with a boundary through point. Bahir Shah also reached his fifty shortly before rain halted play, sweeping Vipraj Nigam for four to complete the landmark.

The partnership accelerated as conditions improved. Imran struck a six over square leg off Arshad, while Bahir mixed conventional and reverse sweeps to keep the scoreboard moving. Afghanistan A were 177/2 and three runs ahead of the DLS par score when the weather intervened again.

Despite hopes of a resumption, persistent rain prevented any further play, handing Afghanistan A victory and valuable points in the tournament standings.

The Tri-Nation A Series continues in Sri Lanka with all three sides using the competition to provide international exposure to some of their most promising emerging players.

Named Player of the Match, Afghanistan A captain Imran credited the team’s belief and positive approach.

“It was our first match, and we played natural cricket. Believed in myself and the team for the run chase,” he said.

India A captain Tilak Varma admitted that the rain-affected conditions and DLS calculations ultimately worked against his side.

“We batted well. But unfortunately, the way DLS works… Afghanistan A batted well but at the same time we thought chasing 294 in 38 overs was going to be tough. Bowling isn’t a concern, but we’ll go back to the drawing board. Our goal is to win the next couple of games and make the final,” Tilak said.