US Strikes on Iranian Ports Leave Fate of Afghan Goods Uncertain

Following US airstrikes on Iran’s Bandar Abbas and Chabahar ports, importers and industrialists in Herat say they are concerned about the fate of their goods stranded at the two ports.

Industrialists say they import raw materials from various countries through Bandar Abbas, but because of the conflict, their shipments have remained stuck at the ports for days and could suffer damage.

Industrialist Zalmai Saeedi said: “When our goods are at Bandar Abbas and missiles are striking the area every day, causing fires, we are concerned that our shipments will be damaged.”

Another industrialist, Mohammad Naeem Sharifi, said: “We ask the relevant authorities to accelerate the customs clearance process for imported goods so that industrialists’ and traders’ shipments do not remain stranded beyond the border in areas facing security threats.”

The Herat Chamber of Industries and Mines says that due to the airstrikes on Bandar Abbas, raw materials belonging to a number of Afghan industrialists remain stranded at the port.

Officials of the chamber have called for speeding up the processing of Afghan commercial goods at Iranian ports.

Abdul Naser Amin, head of the Herat Chamber of Industries and Mines, said: “The war in Iran has already affected us, and our raw materials remain stuck at the ports. Industrialists are forced to secure their raw materials through alternative routes and find new transportation corridors.”

Economic analysts say the transfer of commercial goods through Iranian ports should be accelerated during the conflict.

They say the Iranian government should designate secure routes to ensure the safe transit of Afghan commercial goods.

Economic analyst Azizullah Samee said: “As Iran is currently facing an unstable transit situation, it should, to the best of its ability, facilitate the safe transportation of goods transiting through its territory, treating them like its own national assets so they can reach their destinations as quickly as possible.”

Tensions between Iran and the United States have escalated again in recent weeks.

Since last week, the United States has carried out multiple strikes targeting the ports of Bandar Abbas and Chabahar in southern Iran.

The two ports are considered key transit routes for Afghanistan’s imports.