Mohammad Naeem, Afghanistan’s deputy foreign minister for financial and administrative affairs, said on Sunday that since the Islamic Emirate took over Afghanistan in 2021, relations between Kabul and Tehran have expanded significantly.

Speaking at an event in Kabul to mark the 46th anniversary of the victory of Iran’s Islamic Revolution, Naeem emphasized that the level of bilateral cooperation in the political, economic, security and cultural fields has also increased.

“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan wants to expand and strengthen relations with neighboring countries, including the Islamic Republic of Iran, and emphasizes the continuation and deepening of relations in the political, cultural, security and economic fields,” Naeem said.

Iran’s acting ambassador in Kabul, Ali Reza Bekdeli, also pointed out the expansion of relations between the two countries in light of mutual cooperation. He said Tehran is ready to cooperate with Afghanistan in various fields, especially in the fight against terrorism and drugs.

“Fighting terrorism and extremism is another important area for cooperation between the two countries of Iran and Afghanistan. Currently, the two countries are cooperating with each other to combat various forms of terrorism."

At the ceremony, officials from the two countries also touched on the developments in the Middle East.

They condemned Israel’s attacks on Palestinians and called for Islamic countries to unite in support of the Palestinian people.

During his recent visit to Helmand province and a refugee camp, Dr Tajuddin Avila, UNICEF’s representative in Afghanistan, emphasized the importance of every child’s right to a healthy life and announced UNICEF’s efforts to improve the nutrition and health status of children in the country.

Referring to the difficult living conditions of children, he emphasized that every child has the right to start a healthy life and to receive the necessary support.

UNICEF is implementing several programs to reduce malnutrition and improve the health status of children in Afghanistan and is trying to respond to the basic needs of this vulnerable group.

In December, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) warned that the number of malnourished children in Afghanistan is expected to reach 3.5 million by 2025.

Russia’s Ambassador to Pakistan Albert Khorev says Moscow shares Islamabad's concerns over the growing terrorist activity in Pakistan and supports their focus on countering this threat.

In an interview with Russia’s TASS news agency, Khorev: "We share Islamabad's concerns over the growing terrorist activity in Pakistan. Russia supports the desire of our Pakistani colleagues to fight terrorism, and we confirm our focus on strengthening constructive cooperation with Pakistan and Afghanistan."

He said that strengthening peace and stability in Afghanistan and “countering terrorist threats emanating from its territory are in our common interests in the region."

Khorev stated that Russia and Pakistan are engaged in productive counter-terrorism cooperation.

"The relevant expert consultations at the level of deputy foreign ministers turned out to be highly effective. We pay close attention to the practical work

“In October 2024, the military contingents of the two countries jointly repelled various threats during the seventh round of the Russian-Pakistani Friendship exercises," he added.

He also said Russia is in solidarity with Afghanistan’s counter-terrorism efforts, to which it intends to provide the necessary assistance.

"Resolving security issues in the Pakistan-Afghan border area is primarily the domain of these countries. For our part, we welcome both bilateral and regional cooperation in the fight against the terrorist threat.”

He said dialogue on a wide range of common problems and challenges is already underway within the Moscow consultation format and at other multilateral venues that include Afghanistan’s neighbors.