In a telephone call with Iranian President Rouhain late on Thursday, Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani extended his sympathies, on behalf of Afghan government and people, over the November 12 earthquake in western Iran which killed around five hundred Iranians. Mr. Ghani added that “the two nations will stand by each other and remain to be brothers.”
During the conversation, the two heads of states stressed the expansion of bilateral cooperation in areas of railway, trade interactions, and transit of goods.
“Sustainable peace and security in Afghanistan is to the benefit of the countries in the region, including Iran,” said Iranian President Hassan Rouhani reiterating that Iran considers in line with its own security, establishment of sustainable peace, stability and security in Afghanistan.
The Iranian President also thanked Afghan people and government for extension of their sympathies with the victims of the deadly quake in western Iran and also praised the astute stance adopted by the government of President Ghani to foil regional plots aimed at dividing nations.
President Ghani said that one of the basic principles observed in Afghanistan is strengthening brotherly ties and unity among Shias and Sunnis. “We are not going to let enemies divide us,” he said.
He also said that the Afghan government was serious in its fight against drug production and smuggling, calling for deepening of ties between Iran and Afghanistan.
In the meanwhile, Mr. Rouhani underlined the need for an all-out campaign against narcotics production and trafficking, calling for extensive international cooperation to eradicate the phenomenon.
The Iranian president stressed the importance of the promotion of Tehran-Kabul economic ties.
He added that the inauguration of the Port of Chabahar in southeastern Iran in the near future and connection of Iran-Afghan railway networks together and later to the International North–South Transport Corridor will enhance trade ties among the regional countries.
The North–South corridor is a 7,200-km-long multi-mode network of ship, rail, and road route which connects India, Iran, Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Central Asia and Europe.
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