A large Iranian delegation consisting of 180 traders, industrialists, and investors, including Abbas Aliabadi, Iran's Minister of Energy, traveled to Afghanistan on Wednesday. This visit coincided with the fifth National and International Imam Abu Hanifa Exhibition held in Afghanistan. During this visit, officials from both countries discussed the export of 2,000 megawatts of electricity from Iran to Afghanistan and the provision of necessary equipment for power plants.
Negotiations with Taliban Officials
Abbas Aliabadi met with Nooruddin Azizi, the Taliban Minister of Industry and Trade, during this visit, where he referred to the expansion of economic cooperation and joint investment. He also mentioned Iran's assistance to Afghanistan's electricity industry in discussions with Mullah Mohammad Nasir Akhund, the Taliban Minister of Finance, stating, "The progress of Afghanistan is our wish, and we are ready to help you in the electricity sector."
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Aliabadi added, "We have no disputes or financial claims with Afghanistan, while we do have financial claims from some countries." He also announced Iran's readiness to transfer technology in the field of water and treatment plants to Afghanistan. Mohammad Asif Elyas, spokesperson for the Taliban Ministry of Industry and Trade, also commented on the negotiations, stating, "The Iranian Minister of Energy invited the Afghan Minister of Industry and Trade to visit Iran and participate in upcoming water and electricity exhibitions scheduled for the coming months."
Expanding Cooperation in Water and Energy
Aliabadi also met with Mohammad Younus Akhundzada, the Taliban Minister of Water and Energy. In this meeting, both sides discussed the expansion of cooperation in the fields of water and energy, knowledge and experience exchange, and investment opportunities in the production, transmission, and distribution of electricity in Afghanistan. Motiullah Abid, spokesperson for the Taliban Ministry of Water and Energy, emphasized, "Both sides expressed their views on expanding cooperation between the two countries in the areas of water and energy and exchanging experiences in the production, transmission, and distribution of electricity in Afghanistan."
The Iranian Minister of Energy also met with the Taliban Minister of Finance, where the discussions focused on resolving customs and trade issues, facilitating administrative processes in these areas, and expanding cooperation in water and electricity. The Vice President of the Iran Chamber of Commerce emphasized the importance of Iranian business delegations visiting Afghanistan and called for increased joint investments between the two countries.
Qadir Qiafa, Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines, and Agriculture of Iran, also referred to the development of infrastructure, especially railways, stating, "Afghanistan is on the path of economic development, and Iran can also cooperate with this country in the energy sector."
Despite these efforts, the export of electricity from Iran to Afghanistan comes at a time when the Iranian Parliament Research Center has estimated the electricity supply-demand imbalance during the peak summer of 1405 to be around 13.6 thousand megawatts. This imbalance, while Iran faces increased power outages, is considered a challenging reality.
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