Iranian embassy officials in Kabul said on Saturday that among the 500 companies licensed to operate in the free trade zone of Chabahar Port, 165 of them are Afghan firms.

Officials also stated that concerted efforts are being made to introduce direct cargo flights between Chabahar, Kabul and Dubai. 

“We continue our efforts to also start the Kabul-Chabahar-Dubai flights in order to ease access for Afghan investors to global markets,” said Seddiq Qasemi Zakeri, the economic consular at the Iranian embassy.

The Ministry of Commerce and Industries meanwhile said Iran has provided special privileges to Afghan investors at Chabahar Port.

“The problem of getting visas for Afghan investors to Iran has been solved and efforts are underway to provide further facilities to our investors,” said Yahya Akhlaqi, Transit Director at the Ministry of Commerce and Industries.

Chabahar is the closest sea port to Afghanistan. 

Afghan businessmen meanwhile say that considering problems with the Pakistan transit routes with Afghanistan, Chabahar will eventually become the key port in the region for Afghan goods.