Qadir Qiafeh, the deputy head of Iran’s Chamber of Commerce, has revealed that gemstones from Afghanistan are being smuggled into Iran and sold illegally. This information was shared by Iranian media outlets.
In an interview, Qiafeh mentioned that these gemstones, mined in Afghanistan, are entering Iran through unofficial channels and being traded in local markets.
On Sunday, May 12, the ILNA news agency reported that Qiafeh stressed the importance of Iranian investment in Afghan mines. He highlighted that gemstone extraction could be a potential area for cooperation between Iran and Afghanistan.
The Taliban has yet to respond to Qiafeh’s remarks.
Qiafeh also mentioned that several large Iranian mining companies have formed a consortium to enter the Afghan mining market. Additionally, a major Iranian steel company has serious plans to invest in this sector.
He noted that over the past several years, Iran and Afghanistan have engaged in negotiations and exchanges focused on mining.
However, Qiafeh pointed out that no Iranian bank can provide the necessary financial backing of $400 to $500 million for cross-border projects to support Iranian mining business owners.
Since the Taliban took over Afghanistan, the relationship between the Taliban and the Iranian regime has been positive. Despite not officially recognizing the Taliban, Iran maintains extensive diplomatic and economic relations with the group, similar to other countries.
