President Ashraf Ghani met with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on the sidelines of his official visit to Tehran on Saturday afternoon where they discussed issues of mutual interest, security in particular.

The Presidential Palace said that boosting Kabul/Tehran ties, security and development were core parts of Ghani and Rouhani’s meeting in Tehran.

Ghani left Kabul on Saturday morning to attend Rouhani’s oath-taking ceremony.

“The president’s trip to Iran is for one day and is aimed at attending the Iranian president’s oath ceremony and meetings on mutual interest issues,” Ghani’s deputy spokesman Dawa Khan Minapal said.

A number of Afghan MPs have said the tensions between Iran and Afghanistan have increased following the establishment of the National Unity Government in 2014.

“President (Ashraf Ghani) believes his personal ideas will work to improve Afghanistan’s foreign policy. This (Ghani’s own ideas) has affected Afghanistan’s relations with neighboring countries,” said Humayun Humayun, the first deputy speaker of the Wolesi Jirga (the Lower House of Parliament).

“We hope that Mr. President clearly and deliberately shares with neighbors all the issues and all the disturbances created by them (neighbors) to us (Afghanistan),” said Asif Seddiqi, the deputy speaker of Meshrano Jirga (Upper House of Parliament).

Some analysts suggest discussion as the only way to overcome tensions between Afghanistan and Iran.

“This trip (of President Ghani) would be effective if there is a discussion between Afghanistan and Iran to talk about the challenges on the ground,” said Nasir Musawi, a political affairs analyst.