Growing unrest in Iran has raised concerns among Afghan traders about the continuity of imports and exports through the neighbouring country, a senior member of Afghanistan’s chamber of commerce said.
Khan Jan Alokozay, a board member of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment, said traders were closely watching the situation but that trade had not yet been disrupted.
“It is worrying and we hope the security situation improves,” Alokozay said in a message. “If conditions deteriorate further, problems will naturally arise, but for now there is no disruption.”
He said all Iranian border crossings and trade routes remained open and that goods were continuing to flow into Afghanistan.
Alokozay added that following the closure of border crossings with Pakistan, most Afghan imports were now routed through Iran’s Bandar Abbas port. Before the closures, about 40% of Afghanistan’s imports entered via Pakistan, he said.
Pakistan has kept its commercial and border crossings with Afghanistan largely shut for more than three months following clashes between Taliban forces and Pakistani border troops, heightening tensions between the two sides.
Islamabad has accused the Taliban of sheltering militants from the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) and other armed groups, allegations the Taliban deny.
While the Taliban have said they have alternative trade routes to secure essential imports, traders say the spread of protests and instability in Iran has added to uncertainty over Afghanistan’s remaining major supply corridor.
