Concept for an Iran-Afghanistan-China Trilateral International Free Trade and Industrial Zone

[royalharris]

This is not a state-level cooperation agreement that the three countries have formally signed, nor is it a new Belt and Road mechanism proposed by China. Rather, it is a regional economic proposal promoted by Iran’s South Khorasan Province and supported in principle by Iran’s central government. In July 2026, the head of economic and financial affairs in Iran’s South Khorasan Province again stated that the project’s administrative approvals and preparatory work were moving forward.

As of July 29, 2026, there has been no visible formal confirmation from the Chinese government that it will participate, nor any binding agreement signed by the three countries. The currently available public information mainly comes from Iranian local government sources and media, with some reporting by Afghan media, but China has not yet issued corresponding official documents for such a trilateral project.

Iran–China Railway Connection via Afghanistan

In a meeting between the head of Iran’s Railway Administration, Jabbar Ali Zakeri, and Afghanistan’s Deputy Minister of Public Works, Abdolkarim Fateh, connecting Iran’s railway to China via Afghanistan was discussed.

iranpress.com

 

[royalharris]

Iranians are shrewd to the bone and seem to think everyone else in the world is a fool. China takes on all the political, commercial, and security risks, while they merely provide a piece of land. Whether the project succeeds or fails, Iran come out with a pure profit.
And it is clearly undermining Pakistan’s position.

 

[Lulldapull]

but why would Iran or China deal with a tribal bandit country like Afghanistan?

Do you not understand what talibunny/ pashtoon de cartoons are like?

Would you do business with cartoon people?

 

[royalharris]

but why would Iran or China deal with a tribal bandit country like Afghanistan?

Do you not understand what talibunny/ pashtoon de cartoons are like?

Would you do business with cartoon people?

I am fool, don’t you read the content? Go ask Iran. This is Iran’s proposal.

 

[Lulldapull]

I am fool, don’t you read the content? Go ask Iran. This is Iran’s proposal.

Its just like that $500 billion Iran China BRI project no?

Been ten years now and still an MOU.

@shapurzolaktaf @Khorasan Black Flags @Kyussis @Immortals

 

[royalharris]

Its just like that $500 billion Iran China BRI project no?

Been ten years now and still an MOU.

You really are a fool, completely ignoring the content. This is a proposal put forward by Iran in July 2026.

 

[ety]

China should be cautious in creating a free trade and industrial zone of three countries. Right now, Afghanistan is mired in chaos and China doesn't want the terrorists there to have ease access to Chinese Xinjiang and spread terrorism to China as in the 1990s and early 2000s. Iran is in a major war and who knows how long it's going to last. Besides, many Iranians don't respect China and Chinese. They look down on China, Chinese , Chinese history and civilization. They think only Iranians have the balls to fight Americans and others, but not Chinese as repeatedly showing in their comments in the Iran War thread. They are very difficult to cooperate as showing in the past dealings by Chinese. Maybe it's best for China to not have deep engagements with Iran and Iranians.

 

[Lulldapull]

This is also why Iran has no friends when it comes under attack. The most arrogant fools in the world, yet they think they are the smartest people.

And what friends do Afghani have?

 

[shapurzolaktaf]

China should be cautious in creating a free trade and industrial zone of three countries. Right now, Afghanistan is mired in chaos and China doesn't want the terrorists there to have ease access to Chinese Xinjiang and spread terrorism to China as in the 1990s and early 2000s. Iran is in a major war and who knows how long it's going to last. Besides, many Iranians don't respect China and Chinese. They look down on China, Chinese , Chinese history and civilization. They think only Iranians have the balls to fight Americans and others, but not Chinese as repeatedly showing in their comments in the Iran War thread. They are very difficult to cooperate as showing in the past dealings by Chinese. Maybe it's best for China to not have deep engagements with Iran and Iranians.

Yeah.. China foreign policy is based on reading comments on defence.pk.
Maybe Xi Jinping has a membership here.. /s.

 

[royalharris]

If the plan gains China’s approval, Afghanistan will obtain a new outlet to the sea and a new source of external investment, while Pakistan will lose its ability to influence Afghanistan through its geographic transit corridor.

 

[royalharris]

For iran,This plan is an initiative with relatively low expected investment and very high expected strategic returns

Iran hopes to use its location, land, energy resources, and access route to Afghanistan in exchange for China’s capital, equipment, and industrial capabilities, thereby integrating western Afghanistan’s trade, Chabahar Port, and eastern Iran’s economy into a new regional growth pole.