IRNA � Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday that Iran aims to help maintain stability, security, peace and tranquility in Afghanistan.






Speaking in a meeting with Chief Executive of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Abdullah Abdullah which was held on the sidelines of the 5th Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA), Rouhani said there are many opportunities for developing bilateral and regional economic relations namely transit of goods which should be put on the agenda of the joint economic cooperation commission.

He also stressed the importance of fighting narcotics and joint efforts in this regard, saying in addition to social harms, much of terrorism finance comes from drug trafficking.

This issue makes more serious the need for all-out and coordinated fight against drug-trafficking, he reiterated.

Reminding both countries efforts for uprooting terrorism in the region, Rouhani said the security of the regional countries like Iran and Afghanistan are intertwined with each other meaning that establishing stability and development relies on cooperation of the regional countries.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Iranian president underlined encouraging private sector for promoting trade ties.

Meanwhile, Abdullah appreciated Iran's aid for Afghan people and emphasized reinforcing cooperation in political and economic fields.

He referred to Iran's efforts in fighting terrorism and trafficking of narcotics, saying Iran-Afghanistan cooperation is important in these fields.

Abdullah Abdullah said that Iran and Afghanistan have always stood by each other in hard times, praising Iran for its support for Afghanistan.

He also underscored the importance of all regional states' cooperation in fighting terrorism.

Rouhani is currently on a visit to Tajikistan on the second leg of his trip following his visit to Bishkek at the invitation of his Tajik counterpart Emomali Rahmon.

Prior to departing for Bishkek, Rouhani delivered a speech in the 19th SCO Summit in Bishkek to expose Iran�s official stance on regional and international developments.

He held talks with his Chinese, Afghan and Russian counterparts on the sidelines of the summit on bilateral relations, regional developments and future of the JCPOA.

Tajik Parliament Speaker Shakour Jan Zohorov welcomed President Rouhani upon his arrival in Dushanbe Airport late on Friday.

CICA is an inter-governmental forum for enhancing cooperation towards promoting peace, security and stability in Asia.