Iranian deputy FM to visit Kabul for consular talks

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Consular and Parliamentary Affairs Vahid Jalalzadeh, is set to visit Kabul for talks aimed at strengthening cooperation between Iran and Afghanistan, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei has announced.

Speaking at a press briefing, Baghaei said the visit will focus on enhancing bilateral cooperation in consular affairs and expanding people-to-people contacts.

"The purpose of this visit is to hold talks and exchange views on cooperation between Iran and Afghanistan in the consular sphere, as well as on issues related to people-to-people contacts.

We share more than 900 kilometres of common border with Afghanistan. Our relations with Afghanistan are long-standing. The close ties between the two countries, the presence of a large number of Afghan citizens in Iran, extensive trade relations, and shared challenges in the areas of security and border protection all require that contacts between the two countries at various levels continue in a regular and normal manner," Baghaei said.

The spokesperson emphasized the importance of maintaining regular engagement between Tehran and Kabul, citing the countries' shared border, longstanding bilateral ties, significant Afghan community in Iran, extensive trade links, and common security and border management challenges.

By Vafa Guliyeva