It said the International Chambers of Commerce and Industries of Afghanistan [ICCIA] complained that Iran had tried to make Afghan businessmen buy fuel from Iran at inflated prices.
It also said the Afghan government’s efforts since December to address transit problems with Iran were useless. Iran publicly said it was not blockading Afghanistan and privately told Afghan officials several times that the blockade was being lifted.
It was finally ended last month, but only after Afghanistan agreed to buy Iranian-refined fuel. Afghan merchants had been buying fuel from Iraq and Afghanistan and trucking it across Iran.
The station quoted the ICCIA as saying Iran has again stopped Afghan fuel tankers carrying refined products from other countries, adding that Iran has only allowed tankers loaded with Iranian fuel to enter Afghanistan.
It reported that Iran tried to make Afghan businessmen buy fuel from Iran at higher prices, but they balked and went back to their previous suppliers.
Khan Jaan Alokozai, head of the ICCIA, told the station, “A barrel of Iranian fuel will cost $80 more than what we pay in Iraq and Central Asia. Iran does not allow us to transfer fuel from Iraq or the Caspian.”
The ICCIA also lashed out at the Afghan government and said that it did not do anything to address the transit problem.
Alokozai said, “Our government has not gained the strength to make neighboring countries abide by transit treaties,” which guarantee border access for landlocked countries like Afghanistan. “We always face transit problems not only with Iran, but also with Pakistan and Uzbekistan,” he said.
Tolo TV said the border problem has again caused a fuel shortage in Herat Province on the Iranian border, driving up fuel prices.
Afghanistan has no refineries at all and must import all of its fuel.
