Herat’s annual Afghanistan-Iran Joint Expo opened on Monday in the western city and will be open to visitors for three days.

The expo, which is held annually between the two countries, this year has 30 exhibitors from Iran and 10 from Afghanistan.

On display are commercial products that range from construction materials through to food and agricultural equipment as well as Afghan saffron.

Iranian electrical appliances are also on display as well other products such as detergents, tea, honey and crockery.

“Holding of such exhibitions has been instrumental in fostering economic ties between the two countries,” said Monisa Hassanzada, the Herat governor’s deputy.

Representatives from the two countries said that such exhibitions help develop trade relations between Afghanistan and Iran.

“Through this exhibition, we want to establish more business relations with Afghan businessmen,” said Haidaryan, an Iranian businessman.

“The economy is stagnant in Iran. With this exhibition, we will be able to cooperate well with the growth of the economy of the two countries,” said Mahdi Hussaini, an investor from Iran.

The exhibition is held every year. Experts said the participation of investors at the event was low due to reduce in value of the two countries’ currencies as well as due to a fall in investment in Afghanistan and Iran markets.

However, an official from Iran’s consulate in Herat said the reason behind a low presence of Iranian investors at the expo is that Afghan businessmen have become more self-reliant in terms of producing different products inside Afghanistan.

“Most of the factories are active in Afghanistan, which has led many Iranian companies to see similar products manufactured in Herat and not participate in this exhibition,” said Mahmoud Afkhami-Rashidi, Iran’s Consul General in Herat.

The exhibition opened on Monday and will be open to visitors for three days.