Tehran, Kabul Push for Stronger Banking Ties, Payment Channels

DID Press: A joint economic meeting between the central bank governors of Iran and Afghanistan was held in Kabul, with officials from Iran’s Razavi Khorasan province also in attendance.

The discussions focused on strengthening bilateral financial cooperation, including new mechanisms to facilitate money transfers, expanding Afghan bank branches near the Dogharoon border crossing, and improving the regulation of currency-exchange markets.

Both central bank chiefs examined ways to reduce dependence on informal financial channels and mitigate the risks associated with cross-border money transfers.

One of the key proposals was the establishment of Afghan bank branches in the Dogharoon Free Zone — a move expected to significantly streamline trade-related financial transactions.

On the sidelines of the meeting, the two governors also held bilateral talks addressing joint banking frameworks and strategies to manage financial exchanges under sanctions-related constraints.