The Herat Chamber of Commerce and Investment announced on Saturday that national traders, jointly through the chamber, have provided approximately 15 million AFN in aid to the people of Iran.

The chamber stated that this aid package was delivered to the Iranian Consulate in Herat. It added that the assistance was intended to express solidarity with families affected by the war.

Mohammad Younes Qazizadeh, head of the Herat Chamber of Commerce and Investment, said: “Today we have presented 15 million AFN to the dear people of Iran through the Herat provincial authorities and the Iranian Consulate, and this aid will continue.”

Meanwhile, officials at the Iranian Consulate in Herat emphasized that Afghanistan and Iran always stand together and fully understand each other’s difficulties.

The Herat Chamber of Commerce and Investment also highlighted that the people of Iran have consistently supported the people of Afghanistan during various crises, and their cooperation in different sectors has reached families affected in the country.

Officials of the Herat Chamber of Commerce and Investment stressed that the process of private-sector humanitarian aid to the affected people of Iran will continue.

Following attacks by the United States and Israel on Iran, many people in the country have been affected and harmed.

Local officials in Badghis have reported that heavy rainfall from midnight until Saturday morning claimed the lives of five people in the province.

According to officials, three people died in Qadis district, while two others, including a three-year-old child, lost their lives in Dara-e-Bum district.

The Badghis Department for Disaster Management stated that the floods not only caused fatalities but also inflicted significant financial losses on local residents and destroyed agricultural land.

However, complete information on the extent of damage and casualties is not yet available. Staff from various government departments have been dispatched to affected areas to conduct preliminary surveys.

Meanwhile, heavy rains and floods in western Afghanistan temporarily blocked the Herat–Kandahar Highway.

According to Mohammad Israil Sayar, head of the Disaster Management Department in Farah province, recent rainfall has caused the Farah River to swell significantly. He added that the situation has now returned to normal, and traffic along the highway has resumed.

Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the leader of Pakistan’s Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F), has called on the Pakistani government to reassess its Afghanistan policy, warning that the country risks increasing diplomatic isolation across the region.

Addressing a ceremony organized by JUI-F leader Kafeel Nizami, Rehman criticized what he described as contradictory state narratives toward Afghanistan. He questioned why bilateral relations have failed to improve despite more than seven decades of engagement.

“We must reflect on whether all the mistakes lie on Afghanistan’s side,” he said, urging policymakers to abandon efforts aimed at maintaining influence over Kabul. He emphasized that a stable and sovereign Afghanistan would better serve regional peace and long-term strategic interests.

The JUI-F chief also cautioned against repeated attempts at regime change, arguing that such approaches have historically deepened instability. He linked past conflicts and interventionist policies to ongoing regional tensions.

Criticizing United States foreign policy, Rehman described Washington’s approach as inconsistent, saying it shifts positions depending on circumstances. He urged Pakistan to avoid entanglement in great-power rivalries and instead pursue an independent, sovereignty-driven diplomatic strategy.

Rehman further warned that Pakistan’s relations with India, Iran, and Afghanistan are under strain, while several regional states are strengthening partnerships with India.

He concluded by calling for a unified national foreign policy, stressing the need for collective decision-making among political stakeholders rather than reliance on a single party’s approach.