Chabahar Seeks to Establish Taliban Representative Office to Boost Economic Ties
A senior official from Iran’s Chabahar Free Trade Zone has called for the establishment of a Taliban representative office in the region, emphasizing that conditions are favorable for expanding economic and transit cooperation between Afghanistan and Iran.
Mohammad Saeed Arbabi, CEO of the Chabahar Free Zone, made the remarks during a meeting with a Taliban representative in Tehran. He stated that the region is ready to allocate a dedicated land area and facilitate the opening of an Afghan office in Chabahar.
Referring to his previous meetings with Taliban officials in Kabul, Arbabi stressed the need for a responsible and active representative from the Taliban administration to be appointed in order to implement joint projects. He added that despite Iran’s concrete proposals, the Taliban administration has yet to designate a liaison for follow-up.
Arbabi said that initially, between 100 and 200 hectares of land have been set aside for the development of economic hubs by Afghans. He noted that Afghanistan would have full authority over the planning of these projects, while Chabahar’s role would be limited to broader oversight.
Highlighting the importance of formal and consistent bilateral relations, Arbabi noted that issues such as insurance, residency, and movement of Afghan merchants in Chabahar are easily resolvable—provided an official link is established between the two sides. Drawing from his personal experience living in Oman, he said he is well-acquainted with the challenges faced by foreign traders.
Arbabi also announced new proposals to ease residency for Afghan traders, stating that Iran is ready to upgrade their residency permits from one-year to three- or five-year stays. In return, Iranian businessmen operating in Afghanistan have been offered one-year visas with multiple-entry allowances.
On infrastructure development, he reported significant progress on the Chabahar railway project, noting that the Zahedan–Iranshahr section is 87% complete and expected to open before the end of the Iranian calendar year. However, the final connection to the Milak border will take longer. The goal, he said, is to establish a direct transit route to Kabul and Kandahar.
Arbabi underscored the strategic importance of the Chabahar–Afghanistan transit corridor, suggesting Afghanistan could establish container depots in Zahedan. He estimated that the route could fulfill 50–60% of the country’s import and export needs.
Concluding his remarks, Arbabi reiterated Chabahar’s full readiness to host an Afghan representative office, noting that most foreign traders active in the region are Afghan nationals. He warned that the Taliban’s failure to appoint a representative remains a major obstacle to advancing cooperation.
