Afghanistan Appreciates Iran’s ‘Timely’ Assistance after Islam Qala Fire

He expressed Kabul’s gratitude in a video conference call with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Seyyed Abbas Araqchi on Tuesday.

In turn, Araqchi expressed the Iranian nation’s sympathy with the Afghan people over the recent fire, and said Iran stands by Afghanistan on the recent incident.

The two sides also conferred on the issues of mutual interest in bilateral relations as well as regional collaborations.

Tehran offered Afghanistan assistance to contain a conflagration caused by the explosion of a gas tanker on Iran-Afghanistan border.

Following the explosion at a gas tanker at the Islam Qala customs post on February 13, 2021 and the ensuing massive blaze there, the governor of Afghanistan’s Herat province contacted the governor of the northeastern Iranian province of Khorasan Razavi province and asked for help to contain the spread of the fire and prevent further harm to the installations as well as people at the border crossing, according to Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh.

“Preliminary arrangements ware made immediately to offer more facilities to the individuals and vehicles engulfed by the blaze in area, and the Iranian consul general in Herat made contacts with authorities in the province, including the provincial governor, to review the dimensions of the incident,” said the spokesman.

“Moreover, in coordination with the [Iranian] Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Border Guard Unit and other relevant institution, the Islam Qala-Dogharoun border post was opened to trucks, vehicles and people fleeing from the blaze to the Iranian border,” he added.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran has also adopted measures to help those possibly hurt or wounded, and contacts are underway between relevant officials of both countries in that regard,” Khatibzadeh explained.