BAKU, Azerbaijan, Dec. 3
By Elnur Baghishov - Trend:
Afghanistan imports products worth about $2 billion a year from Iran, Head of Afghanistan Industrial Association Sakhi Ahmad Peyman said, Trend reports citing ILNA.
Commenting on the possible operation of Iran’s bank branches in Afghanistan, mainly Arian bank’s branch, and the establishment of a joint bank of the two countries, Sakhi added that no serious steps have been taken to open Arian bank’s branch in Afghanistan.
Sakhi said that Afghan businessmen send money via currency exchange offices to Iranian businessmen and there are no banking ties between the two countries.
“Due to the US sanctions, large amounts of money are usually sent via the UAE and China,” Sakhi added. “Because the funds enter the circulation from several countries, its origin is hard to define, so this money doesn’t face sanctions.”
The head of the association noted that transferring money outside the banking system doesn’t cost businessmen of the two countries much.
Commenting on the activities of Afghan businessmen at the Chabahar port in Sistan and Baluchestan province, Sakhi said that Chabahar port is of strategic importance to Iran, Afghanistan and India. In particular, the US sanctions weren’t applied to this port, the head of the association noted.
The head of the association added that considering the fact that agricultural products hold the first place in Afghanistan’s exports, the Afghan side proposed to Iran to abolish duties on certain products. This issue is under consideration, but there is little hope for its approval, Sakhi noted.
The US imposed sanctions on Iran in several stages starting from November 2018.