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Iran, Afghanistan sign memorandums to improve cooperation

Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani (R) and his Afghan counterpart Ashraf Ghani attend a ceremony to sign two documents for cooperation in Tehran on April 19, 2015.

Iran and Afghanistan have signed two memorandums of understanding to improve cooperation in different sectors.

The documents were inked between the two countries’ foreign ministries and also between Iran’s Ministry of Science, Research and Technology and Afghan Ministry of Higher Education in Tehran on Sunday.

They were signed in the presence of Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani and his visiting Afghan counterpart, Ashraf Ghani.

The Afghan president arrived in Tehran on Sunday at the head of a delegation on a two-day visit, the first since taking office in September. The 66-year-old leader was officially welcomed by President Rouhani at Saadabad cultural and historical complex.

Addressing a joint press conference with the Afghan president, Rouhani said Tehran and Kabul agreed to share intelligence on terrorism, violence and extremism in the region, particularly in border areas, and to conduct joint operations if need be. 

The Iranian president added that the two sides also agreed to boost intelligence and security cooperation to counter drug trafficking rings and smuggling of narcotics which is a menace to the region including Iran and Afghanistan.

The development comes as many observers in the Afghan capital believe that the US-led foreign forces in Afghanistan have completely failed to combat drug trafficking and poppy production in the Asian country.

The Afghan economy has been faltering since the US-led military occupation of the country, leading many politicians to focus on further expansion of ties between Afghanistan and its neighbors as well as regional countries.

Iran has served as one of the most generous aid donors to Afghanistan, helping with the reconstruction of the war-ravaged nation.

SF/KA/SS


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