The Balkans presents a crucial junction for Tehran as an access point to Western Europe and an avenue for advancing its regional political and economic interests. The Balkan region is strategically important for western countries as a geographic bloc through which they can increase their influence in former Soviet Eastern European states, including Russia. In the 20th century, the Balkans […]

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s (IEA) administration has set up a consortium of companies, including some in Russia, Iran and Pakistan, to create an investment plan focusing on power, mining and infrastructure, the commerce minister said on Wednesday. The consortium included 14 Afghan businessmen and foreign companies who would send delegates to Kabul to look into projects worth up to […]

Iran’s special envoy to Kabul met with his Chinese counterpart on Sunday for talks on the situation in Afghanistan. Hassan Kazemi Qomi, Iran’s special representative and ambassador to Afghanistan, met with Yue Xiaoyong, in Kabul and held discussions on Beijing-Tehran cooperation with the aim of establishing peace and stability in the country. In a post on his Twitter account, Qomi […]

Iran’s President Raisi made a high-profile tour to China and received an official welcome from his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on 14 February. This is the first state visit by an Iranian president to China in 20 years. As part of a three-day visit, high-ranking delegations of Tehran and Beijing signed 20 agreements to further boost mutual cooperation in different […]

The United States said Wednesday its assessment aligns with a United Nations report that the new head of the al-Qaeda terror group, Saif al-Adel, is based in Iran. “When it comes to his presence there, offering safe haven to al-Qaeda is just another example of Iran’s wide-ranging support for terrorism, its destabilizing activities in the Middle East and beyond,” State […]

Minister of Public Health, Dr. Qalandar Ebad, who is heading a delegation, left for Iran on Saturday where he will participate in the G5 conference. Ebad and his delegation will discuss bilateral cooperation in the health sector with his Iranian counterpart, and short-term and long-term capacity building programs of the Institute of Cancer Treatment in Afghanistan. The delegation will also […]

Saudi Arabia has closed its embassy in Kabul over threats of possible attack and its 14 diplomats, including charge d’affaires Abdullah Fahd al-Kahlani, have moved to Islamabad. The shifting of the diplomats to Pakistan was confirmed by the highly-placed sources at the Foreign Office and Saudi mission on Tuesday. The Saudi embassy was closed on Friday last after threats of […]

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) preparatory meeting for the 49th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers for member states started in Jeddah on Sunday. The 49th session will be held on March 16 and 17 in Nouakchott, Mauritania. OIC Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha said that the Palestinian cause — the central cause of the OIC — has seen […]

Qatar’s Special Envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Counterterrorism and Mediation in Conflict Resolution Mutlaq bin Majed Al Qahtani met with a number of senior Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) officials on Sunday in Kabul for talks on the current situation in the country. The Qatari envoy met with IEA Foreign Affairs Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi; Minister of […]

Iran’s deputy minister of trade Mohammad Mousavi said Tuesday in a meeting that Tehran is considering setting up a trade center in Afghanistan in the near future. According to Mehr News Agency, Mousavi expressed hope that the establishment of this center will strengthen ties between Kabul and Tehran. He did not however say where the center would be situated. Addressing […]