Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 19
By Umid Niayesh - Trend:
Afghanistan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani arrived in Tehran on April 19 morning, heading a high-ranking delegation.
The two-day visit is taking place at the invitation of the Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.
Ashraf Ghani is scheduled to discuss mutual interests as well as latest regional and global developments with Iranian officials during his stay.
The Afghan president was welcomed in Tehran’s international Mehrabad airport by Iran’s Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli upon his arrival, Iran’s official IRNA news agency reported.
Iranian IRINN TV channel has reported live that Rouhani welcomed Ashraf Ghani in Saadabad Palace in Tehran.
The visit was planned to take place last month, but was postponed due to the avalanche in the country’s northeastern Panjshir province which killed about one hundred people.
It was earlier announced that Ashraf Ghani will likely sign a security pact with Iran during his visit.
Afghanistan is planning to sign a strategic deal with Iran to boost cooperation in fighting against terrorism and combating against drugs smuggling.
In August 2013, former Afghan President Hamid Karzai signed a strategic cooperation pact with President Rouhani covering mainly security issues.
Afghanistan was the fifth biggest importer of Iranian goods during the last Iranian fiscal year (ended on March 20).
The Islamic Republic exported $2.388 billion worth of goods to its eastern neighbor during the period.
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