HERAT, Afghanistan — Local authorities and business leaders in western Afghanistan have highlighted Herat’s growing industrial capacity during an event aimed at promoting locally manufactured products and encouraging national and international organizations to source goods from the Herat Industrial Park.
The event was jointly organized by the Herat Directorate of Mines and Industries and the provincial office of Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Representatives of international organizations, along with the Consuls General of Türkiye, Iran, and Turkmenistan, attended the gathering.
Speaking to Khate-Nakhost, Abdul Naser Amin, Chairman of the Herat Chamber of Industries and Mines, said neighboring countries play a significant role in supporting Herat’s industrial sector by supplying raw materials, facilitating exports, and providing electricity.
Several industrialists participating in the event called on the government to reduce tariffs on imported raw materials, prevent the import of products that compete directly with domestic manufacturing, and introduce further measures to facilitate exports.
Often regarded as Afghanistan’s industrial and economic hub, Herat is currently home to around 1,350 active factories, according to the Herat Chamber of Industries and Mines. Dozens of additional factories are also preparing to begin operations.
The chamber further stated that 115 manufacturing companies based in the province currently export their products to approximately 50 countries.
Iran remains one of the principal suppliers of raw materials used by factories in the Herat Industrial Park.
Addressing the event, Alireza Marhamati, Iran’s Consul General in Herat, said Tehran is prepared to expand cooperation to strengthen Afghanistan’s domestic industrial sector. He noted that, in addition to supplying raw materials and industrial equipment, Iran is willing to share its technical expertise and industrial experience with Afghanistan.
Marhamati also said that despite the recent military conflict involving the United States and Iran, trade through the Iran–Afghanistan border had not been disrupted. Instead, he stated that imports and exports between the two countries had continued and even increased over the past three months.
The event concluded with renewed calls from both public officials and private-sector representatives for stronger regional cooperation, improved trade facilitation, and greater support for domestic industries as key factors in expanding Afghanistan’s manufacturing sector and increasing its presence in international markets.
