Latest News
Afghanistan, Iran to sign agreement for comprehensive cooperation: sources
A document for “comprehensive cooperation” between Afghanistan and Iran would be signed during the next three months, sources said.
Sources told Ariana News that based on the document, Iran will cooperate with Afghanistan in the economic, cultural, educational, and security sectors; in exchange, Iran wants Afghanistan to back down from its stance about Helmand water.
Have Kabul and Tehran reached an agreement on Helmand water?
According to some sources, based on a comprehensive document to be signed between Kabul and Tehran in the coming months, the Afghan government will cut its position on the waters of Hamun and Helmand, and in return, Iran will cooperate with Afghanistan into economic, cultural and security fields.
Ali Ahmad Osmani, a former energy and water minister, said: “The downstream country that claims to own the litigation must prove that it has the right. When it is possible to prove it, they have used this water for years. If it fails to prove it, the job is done.”
But what is the comprehensive document?
The document includes five committees, including the Water Committee, the Immigrant Affairs Committee, the Cultural Committee, the Security Committee, and the Economy and Transit Committee.
Afghanistan and Iran began talks on signing the document several years ago, when Hanif Atmar was a National Security Council adviser, and now, with Mr. Atmar at the Foreign Affairs Minister, the document is expected to be finalized in less than three months.
“Water must be transformed from a matter of conflict to a matter of cooperation between the two countries. It is not right for people on one side of the border to be thirsty and the other side to be irrigated,” said Abbas Iraqchi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs declined to comment on the matter, but the ministry expects the signing of the document to end the water dispute between the two countries.
Latest News
Only one of three Afghan suspects was on US terror watch list of 18,000
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence has identified nearly 2,000 Afghans with suspected terror ties and continues to share intelligence with law enforcement agencies.
U.S. authorities are reviewing a classified terror watch list of about 18,000 people after it emerged that only one of three Afghan nationals arrested in recent high-profile cases was on the list, the New York Post reported, citing an intelligence source.
According to the NY Post, the revelation has raised concerns that some suspects may have been radicalized after arriving in the United States. The issue gained renewed attention following last month’s shooting of National Guard members in Washington, DC.
National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent told lawmakers at a December 11 hearing that around 18,000 known or suspected terrorists entered the U.S. over a four-year period under the previous administration. Since then, officials have been combing through the database to assess potential threats and examine how certain individuals were admitted into the country.
Jaan Shah Safi was the only one of three recently arrested Afghan nationals listed in the Terrorist Identities Datamart Environment (TIDE), the U.S. government’s central terror database. Safi, who arrived in the U.S. in 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome, is accused of providing weapons and other support to ISIS-K. U.S. officials say he remains in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.
The other two suspects — Rahmanullah Lakanwal, charged with killing a National Guard member in Washington, and Mohammad Dawood Alokozay of Texas, accused of threatening a suicide attack — were not on the watch list, according to the Post. Intelligence officials cited in the report said this suggests they may have been radicalized after entering the United States.
The Post said the Office of the Director of National Intelligence has identified nearly 2,000 Afghans with suspected terror ties and continues to share intelligence with law enforcement agencies.
The issue has reignited debate over the vetting process used during the rapid evacuation of Afghans in 2021, when more than 100,000 people were brought to the United States.
Lawmakers and officials quoted by the New York Post called for closer scrutiny of those admitted during that period, amid growing political and public concern over national security and immigration policy.
Latest News
Afghanistan signs 30-year deal for marble mining in Daikundi
The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum of Afghanistan has signed a 30-year agreement with a private company to extract marble in Daikundi province.
Under the contract, the company will invest AFN 283 million in exploring and mining marble at the “Mesh-Uliya” site, spanning 16.74 square kilometers in central Daikundi.
Hedayatullah Badri, Minister of Mines and Petroleum, stated that the marble will be processed domestically before being exported abroad. He added that the Mesh-Uliya project is expected to create around 200 jobs, and the company is committed to supporting local communities through social initiatives.
Economic experts highlight that such investments, especially those focusing on domestic processing, are crucial for job creation, boosting exports, and strengthening the national economy. Analysts further note that the project will improve local infrastructure, expand social services, and enhance the economic and social well-being of Daikundi residents.
Since the return of the Islamic Emirate to power, efforts to develop Afghanistan’s mining sector have intensified, with multiple contracts signed in areas including cement, copper, iron, and lapis lazuli, involving both domestic and international companies.
Latest News
Passenger bus veers off Salang Highway, leaving 5 dead, dozens injured
-
International Sports5 days agoILT20: Abu Dhabi Knight Riders end Desert Vipers’ unbeaten run in dramatic one-run win
-
Latest News3 days agoAfghan border forces prevent illegal entry of hundreds into Iran
-
Latest News2 days agoPakistan summons Afghan diplomat over deadly attack in North Waziristan
-
Latest News3 days agoJapan allocates nearly $20 million in humanitarian aid for Afghanistan
-
Latest News2 days agoAfghan health minister calls for medical cooperation between Kabul and New Delhi
-
Latest News2 days agoKarzai urges reopening of girls’ schools and universities for Afghanistan’s bright future
-
Health4 days agoAfghanistan seeks India’s support in standardizing traditional medicine
-
Business4 days agoAfghanistan-Kazakhstan banking ties discussed in Kabul meeting
