Milak border crossing – the main gateway between Iran and Afghanistan – has reopened after it was closed due to violence near the Iranian border in Afghanistan on Friday, according to the spokesman of Iran Customs Administration.
With three Iranian trucks crossing Milak border crossing into Afghanistan the gateway reopened on Wednesday, Ruhollah Latifi was quoted as saying by IRNA.
He said that Iran’s exports to Afghanistan continue and the three border crossings between Iran and Afghanistan – Milak, Dogharoon and Mahiroud – are open now.
The map shows the location of main border crossings between Iran and Afghanistan.
85% drop in Iran’s exports to Afghanistan
Head of Iran-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce Hossein Salimi said earlier that Iran’s export’s to Afghanistan has dropped over 85% due to the unrest and civil war in Afghanistan.
Speaking exclusively to the news website of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA), the businessman said that with the escalation of the conflicts in Afghanistan, the number of trucks carrying Iranian exports to the country has reduced from 100 trucks per day to two or three trucks per day.
“When turmoil or conflict arises in a country, the first point that will suffer is that country's trade,” Salimi noted.
“Unfortunately, the situation is so bad that at the moment it is not easy to predict what awaits us.”
Asked how would be Afghanistan’s economic relations with Iran if Taliban prevails in the end of Afghan civil war, Salimi said, “In any case, the needs of that country will not be eliminated. Whatever group that gains power in Afghanistan, the country will still need food and construction materials and so on. Their best option is Iran.”
It is not clear when stability will be restored in Afghanistan, he said, however noting that the side that overcomes will have no significant impact on economic relations with Iran.
He said that if this situation continues Iran can reach, at the most, half of the $1.7 billion of the exports to Afghanistan projected for this year.
Salimi said that high-risk commodities and construction goods are not needed by Afghanistan at the time, while food accounts for the largest volume of Iran’s exports to Afghanistan.