TEHRAN- Minister of Energy met and held talks with Mawlawi Ahmad Jan Bilal, the head of Afghan state companies, on the second day of his trip to Kabul.

According to Mehr News Agency, Ahmad Jan Bilal, while welcoming the Minister of Energy and the accompanying Iranian delegation, stated: "The enemies of Islam, headed by the former Soviet Union and America, tried for several decades to confront the jihadi actions of the mujahideen of Afghanistan and occupied our country and committed crimes for years, but we frustrated them and disgraced them."

He said: "America is still seeking a presence in the region, and we and you will not allow them to interfere."

Ahmad Jan Bilal referred to the commonalities between Iran and Afghanistan in confronting oppression and said: "America's months-long aggressions against Iran have no justification, and we have repeatedly declared and again say that we stand shoulder to shoulder with you, and Muslims must be a unified hand against the oppression of aggressors."

The Minister of Energy of Iran also thanked the hospitality of Afghan officials and stated: "I have been tasked with promoting the relations between the two countries as much as possible on this trip."

Abbas Aliabadi added: "We fully believe in the pioneering role of the Afghan people in the fight against imperialism, and we see ourselves alongside the people of Afghanistan, and we must work together."

According to a report by the Ministry of Energy, he said: "Regarding electricity, we are aware of your problems and are ready to solve your problems by sending experts and delegations."

Based on this report, 44 companies operate under the supervision of the Afghanistan State Companies Organization, and in this meeting, a number of the heads of these companies spoke about their performance and needs in the field of water and energy.

On October 7, upon arrival in Afghanistan, Aliabadi, referring to the goals of his trip to Afghanistan, listed the expansion of technical and engineering cooperation with neighbors and said: Currently, there are good interactions between the two countries.

He also referred to the historical, linguistic, and cultural commonalities of the two nations, and stated: Iran and Afghanistan are two countries with a common language and shared culture, and these commonalities provide a suitable ground for developing cooperation in various fields.

The Minister of Energy, explaining the goals of his trip, said: It was necessary to make a trip to Kabul to negotiate and meet with officials in the water and energy sector; on the other hand, visiting the fifth Abu Hanifa Afghanistan International Exhibition and expanding technical and engineering cooperation with neighboring countries, including Afghanistan, are among the most important goals of this trip.

Aliabadi, referring to the state of exchanges between the two countries, announced: Currently, there is the possibility of exporting technical and engineering services between the two countries, and we are seeking to increase it, and a good opportunity has been provided to expand these cooperations.

Afghan media reported the arrival of a 180-member trade delegation from Iran’s private sector to participate in the Kabul International Exhibition and discuss expanding exchanges and investment between the two countries.

According to IRNA, a 180-member trade delegation from Iran’s private sector, headed by Mahmoud Siadat, head of the Iran-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce, entered Kabul on October 6.

Meanwhile, during the trip of the trade delegation from the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA), led by Ghadir Qiyafeh, Vice President of the Chamber, to Kabul, the capacities for Iran-Afghanistan cooperation in mining and mineral industries, agriculture and conversion industries, technology transfer, and the creation of production and processing chains were examined.

Meetings with Nooruddin Azizi, Afghanistan’s Minister of Industry and Commerce, and Haji Akhtar Mohammad Mohammadi, First Deputy of Afghanistan’s Chamber of Agricultural and Livestock Production, along with participation in the Fifth Abu Hanifa International Exhibition and B2B negotiations between Iranian and Afghan traders, formed the main axes of this trip.

Ghadir Qiyafeh, Vice President of the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture, during the trip to Kabul at the head of a trade delegation, in a meeting with Nooruddin Azizi, Afghanistan’s Minister of Industry and Commerce, referred to Afghanistan’s mineral capacities and emphasized the development of Iran-Afghanistan cooperation in mining and mineral industries.

Azizi, referring to the issue of mining machinery, welcomed the expansion of relations and economic cooperation with Iran.

In this meeting, attended by Hamed Asgari, Deputy for International Affairs of the Iran Chamber; Mahmoud Omati, Vice President of the Mashhad Chamber; Hossein Beykzadeh, Vice President of the Karaj Chamber; Arash Alavi, member of the Board of Representatives of the Iran and Kerman Chamber; and Mohsen Amini, member of the Food Industry Committee and member of the Board of Representatives of the Iran Chamber, the capacities for economic cooperation between the two countries were examined.

Ghadir Qiyafeh, Vice President of the Iran Chamber, considering Afghanistan’s mineral capacities, emphasized the necessity of strengthening interactions and developing cooperation between the economic actors of the two countries in mining and mineral industries, and considered the existing capacities in this sector as a basis for expanding Iran-Afghanistan economic cooperation.

Then Nooruddin Azizi, Afghanistan’s Minister of Industry and Commerce, referring to the issue of mining machinery, emphasized the importance of cooperation in this area and welcomed the development of relations and expansion of economic cooperation between Afghanistan and Iran.

Qiyafeh, on the sidelines of the Fifth Abu Hanifa International Exhibition of Afghanistan and at the B2B negotiations ceremony of traders and economic actors of Iran and Afghanistan, emphasizing the extensive economic capacities of the two countries, said: “Iran’s view of Afghanistan should not be merely as a market for supplying Iranian goods; rather, it should move toward joint investments.”

At this ceremony, Ghadir Qiyafeh, Vice President of the Iran Chamber, referring to the extensive presence of Iranian companies and firms in this year’s exhibition, stated: “Last year, when I came to Afghanistan to attend the Abu Hanifa Exhibition, I did not witness such a crowd and welcome from the economic actors of the two countries, but this year, with the efforts of the Iranian chambers and the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment, the presence of Iranian companies and firms has increased, and the level of the exhibition has significantly differed from last year.”Qiyafeh, referring to the presence of Iranian companies at the Fifth Abu Hanifa International Exhibition of Afghanistan, said: “Among the Iranian companies present at this exhibition, more than 10 groups are interested and ready to invest in Afghanistan, and some of them have announced their readiness to invest in conversion industries.”

Mahmoud Siyadat, President of the Iran-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce, emphasizing the existing capacities for developing economic cooperation between the two countries, said: “Afghanistan’s current conditions, especially continued security and industrial and production growth, have provided a suitable ground for entering a new phase of economic partnerships between Iran and Afghanistan.”

Making the remarks at the gathering held jointly by the joint chambers of commerce of Iran and Afghanistan, he focused on the sustainability of security and the continuation of Afghanistan’s industrial and production growth and spoke of readiness to enter a new phase of trade and investment cooperation between the two countries.

Mahmoud Siyadat, President of the Iran-Afghanistan Joint Chamber, referring to the presence of representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Parliament at this event, emphasized: “The presence of individuals who are influential in policymaking and policies related to Afghanistan and see the country’s conditions closely is valuable at this ceremony, and we hope their perceptions and views are considered in future policies and decisions.”

MA