Nour-Mohammad Motevakel, in a meeting with the governor of the province, emphasized historical and cultural bonds between Iran and Afghanistan and said, “Iran and Afghanistan have religious, cultural, and civilizational commonalities, and over the course of history they have had friendly and close relations. I extend the greetings of the Minister of Foreign Affairs to you and warmly thank the Islamic Republic for more than 40 years of hospitality and reception of Afghan refugees.”
He referred to the existing challenges regarding migration between the two countries and said that over the years, problems regarding migration have arisen; we hope that Afghan refugees return based on mutual collaboration and precise and disciplined plans.
The Afghan official called for the expansion of economic, trade, and cultural ties between Iran and Afghanistan.
The governor of Khorasan-Razavi also highlighted the existence of many cultural commonalities between Iran and Afghanistan and said that during the years when Afghanistan was in conflict and war, “we played our Islamic, humanitarian, and ethical duty to host Afghan nationals. We have always tried to preserve the dignity of these dear people. We have even tried to respectfully help them exit the country.”
Gholamhossein Mozaffari said that Iran and Afghanistan must expand their economic ties, as it is a way to resolve their problems. He said the technical knowledge of Iran, alongside raw materials in Afghanistan, can help define a shared project that benefits people in both countries.
He proposed the establishment of a jointly run free trade zone, where businessmen from both countries can easily travel across.
