Islamic Republic Trying To Attract Afghan Private Investors, Says Iran's Special Envoy

Hassan Kazemi Qomi, Iran's special representative for Afghanistan affairs, said that Iran is trying to attract Afghan entrepreneurs and private sector investors to invest in Iran's major projects.

Kazemi Qomi added that Tehran and Kabul can create a north-south and east-west transit corridor with the development of Chabahar.

According to the Islamic Republic News Agency, IRNA, Qomi, on the sidelines of an international exhibition in Mashhad, said that the Islamic Republic is trying to attract Afghan private sector investors by easing conditions and removing obstacles.

Hassan Kazemi Qomi said that the improvement of Afghanistan's economy has a positive impact on the countries of the region.

Earlier, the spokesman of the Islamic Republic of Iran said about reports of land sales to Afghans and the presence of the Taliban in Chabahar that Iran does not endanger its internal security and borders for the sake of economic interests. Fatemeh Mohajerani had said, "Land is not sold to foreign nationals." Officials of the Islamic Republic refer to undocumented Afghan immigrants in Iran as "foreign nationals and unauthorised nationals”.

The Islamic Republic has a close relationship with the Taliban and at the same time seeks to attract private investors from Afghanistan's private sector. Afghan businessmen and investors have transferred a large part of their capital to Iran after the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan.

The massive wave of migration from Afghanistan to Iran is another consequence of the Taliban's rule. The Islamic Republic has intensified its policy of deporting Afghan refugees. Following an increase in mistreatment of Afghan migrants in Iran, the Iranian government has been accused of being "anti-immigration".

The Special Representative of the Iranian President has said that the countries of Central Asia and Afghanistan are interested in developing economic cooperation with Iran.

Khan Jan Alokozay, deputy head of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries, said in June this year that many Afghan businessmen and investors have transferred companies and a large part of their capital to Iran.

Jawanmard Qasab, the economic advisor to the Iranian President’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Affairs, said that in the first four months of 2024, Afghans invested about $150 million in Iran.