Iran-Afghan Traders Sign 20 MoUs

Bojnourd, March 13, IRNA – North Khorasan Chamber of Commerce and Afghanistan Chamber of Trade and Industry signed 20 Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) on Monday. Members of North Khorasan Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Mines as well as Bojnourd officials held a joint gathering with an Afghan trade delegation Monday evening. Speaking at the event, head of North Khorasan Chamber of Commerce said this province enjoys much potential particularly in agriculture sector, food industries, petrochemicals and construction materials. Mohammad Samadi added that Afghan merchants need some of the province's products such as petrochemicals, farming crops, construction materials and metal industries. He said the MoUs between North Khorasan and Afghan businessmen is in line of promoting the trade level. Also, the head of North Khorasan Industries, Mines and Trade Department said Iran and Afghanistan enjoy close ties due to cultural and religious commonalities as well as common borders. Mohammad-Ebrahim Husseini pointed out that Afghan merchants are good trade partners for Iranian business activists. He said that the North Khorasan Province with its economic potentials seeks to increase trade with this neighboring nation. Currently, Afghanistan is considered as the third trade partner of North Khorasan Province, he added. This northeastern province has exported 33,000 tons of commodities worth $14 million to Afghanistan during the current Iranian year, he said, predicting that the figure would reach $17 million by year end. Husseini continued that the current meeting is aimed at identifying Afghanistan's needs as well as provincial capabilities for securing these needs. The Head of Farming Committee of Afghanistan's Chamber of Commerce, Industries, and Mine, for his part, thanked North Khorasani people for their hospitality. Gholam-Nabi Eidizadeh pointed out that Afghanistan and Iran enjoy close ties. He hoped that the ongoing visit of Afghani delegation would prepare the grounds for promoting trade ties between Afghanistan and North Khorasan province. The 25-member Afghan delegation visited Bojnourd, North Khorasan province, during March 10-12./end