Tehran IRAN- Amir Khan Mottaqi met and held talks today on Thursday, February 12, with Sa’adi Sharifi, the Ambassador of the Republic of Tajikistan to Kabul.
At the meeting, the two sides welcomed previous agreements and underscored the need to strengthen bilateral cooperation in political, economic, and border-related fields.
Afghanistan and Tajikistan; Ties Beyond Borders
Referring to the deep cultural, linguistic, and religious commonalities between the two neighboring countries, Mottaqi stated: “By making use of existing opportunities, Afghanistan and Tajikistan can expand their relations at all levels, especially in trade, economic, and political sectors.”
Rejecting the possibility that external factors could affect bilateral relations, he added: “No one is capable of undermining the atmosphere of trust and brotherly relations between Kabul and Dushanbe.”
The Taliban’s acting foreign minister also reaffirmed the group’s full commitment to the comprehensive development of relations with Tajikistan.
Economic Projects Along Shared Borders
Sa’adi Sharifi, for his part, provided an update on the latest status of previous agreements between Kabul and Dushanbe.
Referring to Tajikistan’s major economic plans and projects in the border areas of the two countries, he said: “With goodwill and based on realities on the ground, we seek to strengthen economic cooperation with Afghanistan, and a clear outlook has been outlined in this regard.”
Joint Plans for the Coming Year
The two sides also exchanged views on several key issues, including the organization of the joint economic committee, the strengthening of border and security cooperation, and coordination between the foreign ministries of both countries for the coming year.
Due to its historical ties with political groups and the anti-Taliban resistance front, Tajikistan was among the few neighboring countries that initially refrained from establishing relations with the Taliban government and repeatedly warned about the consequences of the group’s takeover of Afghanistan. Dushanbe also hosted anti-Taliban political and military leaders.
In recent years, however, relations between Dushanbe and Kabul have evolved. Officials from both sides have visited each other’s capitals, and Tajikistan has handed over the Afghan consulate in the city of Kharoogh to the Taliban. Nevertheless, Afghanistan’s embassy in Dushanbe remains under the control of diplomats from the former republic government.
