Despite an official ban by Tehran on agricultural imports from Afghanistan, Taliban officials say that more than 18,000 metric tons of Afghan produce were exported to Iran over the past year.
According to the Taliban-run Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the exports were valued at approximately $19 million. The ministry did not specify which products were included in the shipments.
The announcement comes in contrast to statements by Iranian officials, who say the country has formally blocked agricultural imports from Afghanistan due to biosecurity concerns.
Alireza Khamehzar, head of the South Khorasan Chamber of Commerce, told Iran’s official news agency that the import ban was imposed by the country’s Plant Protection Organization. “Strict regulations from the organization are the main obstacle,” he said. “Under Iranian law, Afghanistan is classified as a high-risk country.”
Meanwhile, Iranian media have reported that Iran exported $2.2 billion worth of non-oil goods to Afghanistan in the past 11 months, making Afghanistan the country’s fifth-largest export market over that period.
The imbalance in trade between the two countries has drawn concern from Afghan economists, who warn that rising imports—paired with limited export capacity—are turning Afghanistan into a consumption-based economy.
Analysts say the widening trade gap is contributing to economic stagnation, joblessness and deepening poverty. “Without stronger domestic production and export strategies, the country risks falling further behind,” one expert noted.
