Iran-Afghanistan Trade Surges; 3,000 Herat Companies Active at Islam Qala

DID Press: Recent data shows that over 3,000 companies based in Herat province conduct their import and export operations through Dogharun–Islam Qala border, now the main gateway for Iranian goods into Afghanistan and a key contributor to the countries’ annual $3 billion trade.

Abdullah Dashti, Deputy of the Herat Chamber of Commerce and Investment, said on Saturday (Nov. 15) during a meeting with the governor of Taybad that Herat, located 120 kilometers from the Islam Qala–Dogharun border, hosts more than 7,000 economic actors. Many Iranian goods entering Herat are subsequently transported to markets in Kabul, Mazar-i-Sharif, and Kandahar.

Dashti emphasized that over half of Iranian goods bound for Afghanistan pass through Herat via the Dogharun border. He added that the high quality of Iranian products, secure transport routes, access to necessary goods, and long-standing bilateral ties have increased Afghan investors’ interest in Iranian goods.

Taybad Governor Hossein Jamshidi also highlighted the key role of Afghan traders in regional exchanges. “Afghan investors are among Iran and Khorasan Razavi’s most important economic partners, and supporting them facilitates trade expansion in the province,” he said. Jamshidi added that fully utilizing the Dogharun–Islam Qala border is a primary demand of business communities in both countries.

The expansion of Herat companies’ activity at the Islam Qala–Dogharun border and the growing role of this crossing in bilateral trade reflects improving economic trust between Iran and Afghanistan. Market integration, secure routes, and complete transit chains could pave the way for a major surge in trade and the development of more sustainable cooperation between the two nations.