Visa regime for Afghans relaxed: Iranian consulate

KANDAHAR CITY (Pajhwok): Iran’s diplomatic mission in southern Kandahar province on Sunday said it had relaxed visa requirements for Afghans and the number of visas issued to them this year doubled last year’s entries.

Iranian Consul General Hamid Raza Karimi said this at a meeting with Kandahar Governor Dr. Tooryalai Weesa at his office here.

Karimi said residents of Kandahar and other southern provinces had been complaining that Iran not easily issued visas to them, but the issue had been resolved.

He said currently Afghans obtained visas from the consulate in a short span of time without facing any hardship.

He said they issued visas to Afghans this year double than previous year and the process would continue.

Karimi, who met with officials of several provincial departments, said Afghan traders and farmers could benefit from Iran’s advanced agriculture machinery to boost their production.

Governor Weesa thanked the Kandahar-based Iranian consulate general for relaxing visa requirements for residents of the southern zone.

He said Afghan traders had been complaining about problems they faced in obtaining Iranian visas. He said the visa problem had negative impact on bilateral trade.

The governor called Iran as a good neighbour of Afghanistan and thanked Tehran for its assistance to Afghanistan.

Weesa urged Iran to provide agriculture machinery in aid to the Afghanistan National University of Agriculture Sciences and Technology in Kandahar.

The university was last year inaugurated by former president Hamid Karzai and Indian foreign minister Salman Khursheed.

Weesa said if Iran gifted agriculture machinery to the university, it would be an unforgettable favour on Afghan students.

The newly-established university needs many facilities for its various faculties. The Iranian consulate general promised to convey Weesa’s request to his country’s leaders and would make every effort to fulfill the demand.

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