Despite close political relations and geographical proximity, sanctions by United States on the Islamic Republic have prevented Iran-Pakistan economic ties from realizing their full potential, solely because the Islamic Republic of Iran cannot access international banking. To resolve the mentioned problem, the two countries inked a barter trade agreement during the meeting of their Joint Economic Committee in Tehran in […]

After reports of ill-treatment of Afghan refugees in Iran, Ahmad Yasir, deputy head of the office of First Deputy PM Mullah Baradar, said on Friday that the foreign ministry “summoned” Iranian officials. Afghanistan’s foreign ministry also said that Faizanullah Naseri, head of the ministry’s Second Political Department, on Thursday met with Iranian officials at the ministry to discuss ill-treatment of […]

An Afghanistan Civil Aviation Authority official has said there are a number of Qatari forces stationed at Kabul airport. The source, who did not want to be named, told BBC the Qataris have been stationed at the airport for a few months.

At least 3,000 Afghan refugees return to Afghanistan from Iran every day, many of whom are forcibly returned, Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) officials have reported. Investigations by the Ministry of Refugees found that 7,500 people entered Afghanistan from the Iranian border in the past two days. According to the ministry, of these people, 5,500 were forcibly returned to Afghanistan […]

Iran has set the official selling price (OSP) of its Iranian Light grade for its Asian buyers at $4.70 a barrel above the Oman/Dubai average for April, up $2.05 from the previous month, two industry sources with direct knowledge of the matter said on Wednesday, Reuters reported. The table below shows April crude prices to Asia, as differentials to the […]

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Sunday he advised Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) officials on what steps need to be taken for the Afghan government to gain international recognition. “We told them in a very friendly fashion which steps should be taken for international recognition,” Cavusoglu told a press conference. He said that they focused on the importance […]

While attending the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, Afghanistan’s acting foreign minister told Anadolu Agency on Saturday that he is “hopeful” an agreement will be reached with Turkey and Qatar on operating the airport services in Kabul. Stating that an agreement had been secured on “a number of issues regarding Kabul Airport” with these two countries, Amir Khan Muttaqi said some issues […]

Former president Hamid Karzai has said that while the war has ended in Afghanistan, the country has not achieved peace and stability as it desired. Speaking to Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB, Karzai said: “So far, we have not reached that peace and stability the Afghan people desire, which lies in national unity, the peace which is attained by national unitedness, […]

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has dismissed US claims that its withdrawal from Afghanistan had all been planned, saying given a choice, Washington would not have opted for the “embarrassing” pullout. In an interview with Iran’s Press TV, Amir-Abdollahian said: “You saw how the United States withdrew from Afghanistan after 20 years in such a manner. If the US could […]

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi told Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone call on Thursday that NATO’s expansion was a “serious threat” to the region’s security and stability, the semi-official Nour News reported. “NATO’s expansion eastward creates tension and is a serious threat to the stability and security of independent states in various areas,” Raisi was quoted as saying following […]