Iran’s special envoy for Afghanistan, Hassan Kazemi Qomi, said that his country has issued a license allowing the transport of fuel through its territory to Afghanistan for three months.
Qomi in a tweet said that in order to meet the fuel needs of the Afghan people in winter, his country has allowed Afghanistan to import fuel to the country through Iran.
According to Qomi, the license has been issued based on the request of the Islamic Emirate officials. “In order to meet the needs of the Afghan people in the winter season and based on the request of the Afghan officials from the Islamic Republic of Iran, a permit for the transit of diesel to Afghanistan from Iran’s territory was issued for three months,” he wrote in Twitter.
Meanwhile, Herat’s provincial Chamber of Commerce and Investment says that this will have a positive effect on reducing gas and fuel prices in the country. “Fortunately, the Islamic Republic of Iran has allowed transit only for diesel, this is good news and the Iranian route is a good route for Afghanistan,” said Younes Qarizada head of the Herat Chamber of Commerce and Investment.
“There is no doubt that this step will have a positive effect in decreasing fuel prices in Afghanistan,” Darya Khan Bahir, an economist said.
In the meantime, Kabul residents say the prices of fuel, gas and food have skyrocketed in the country’s markets, adding that they cannot afford to buy them. “The prices of flour, rice and oil and everything has risen, we cannot buy these goods,” said Rohid, a resident of Kabul.
According to the Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI), Afghanistan imports most of its fuel from Russia, Central Asia and Iran.