Iran Opens New Land Route At Afghanistan Border To Boost Trade
Iran has announced the opening of a new land route at the Milak border crossing with Afghanistan, a move aimed at increasing trade and easing the flow of goods between the two countries.
Iran has announced the opening of a new land route at the Milak border crossing with Afghanistan, a move aimed at increasing trade and easing the flow of goods between the two countries.
In a statement posted on X on Wednesday, January 7, the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Kabul said the new route at the Milak crossing would double the movement of cargo trucks transporting goods between Iran and Afghanistan.
The Milak–Zaranj border crossing links Iran’s Sistan and Baluchestan province with Afghanistan’s Nimruz province and is one of the main corridors for the export of Iranian fuel and commercial goods to Afghanistan.
In November, Nooruddin Azizi, the Taliban’s minister of industry and trade, visited the Milak border with an Iranian delegation. Following the visit, Iranian officials announced an agreement with the Taliban to construct a second land route at the crossing.
Azizi described the project as beneficial to both sides, saying it would increase the volume of bilateral trade.
Mansour Bijar, the governor of Sistan and Baluchestan, said the new route could create a daily transit capacity of about 1,000 vehicles. He added that the development would reinforce a significant portion of Iran–Taliban economic agreements valued at roughly $10 billion.
Iran has expanded economic engagement with Afghanistan since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, with border trade and transit routes playing a central role in bilateral relations.
