Officials from the Ministry of Transport and Aviation said on Saturday that over past year, more than 96,000 overflights flights have passed through Afghanistan’s airspace.

Speaking at a press conference to outline the ministry’s annual achievements, officials from the ministry stated the figures show that approximately 200 overflights passed through Afghanistan’s airspace every 24 hours.

According to the officials, Afghanistan’s airspace is secure, and all international airlines are permitted to operate through it.

Fathullah Mansour, Deputy Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, said: “In the past year, 96,500 transit flights have been conducted through Afghanistan’s airspace.”

They also said that 55 projects have been financed through the Ministry’s development budget during the past year. Of these, 34 projects which have directly or indirectly created employment for 4,000 people, will soon be completed.

Ministry officials added that in the area of ground transportation, they have achieved progress such as issuing special permits for short-term travel and facilitating the movement of thousands of cargo vehicles to neighboring countries, including Pakistan.

They stated that transport of cargo vehicles to other countries, including Iran and Uzbekistan, has likewise been facilitated.

In terms of international ground transport, Afghanistan currently has agreements with Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Iran, and Pakistan.

According to ministry officials, the allocation of frequencies and communication equipment used at airports has been expanded. At present, 27 airports across the country are operational and providing standard services.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Saturday announced his readiness to visit Afghanistan, stating that the trip would aim to “open a new chapter” in the relations between the two neighboring countries.

During a meeting with Foreign Ministry officials, Pezeshkian emphasized that strengthening ties with regional neighbors — including Afghanistan, Turkey, Pakistan, and Gulf states — will be a cornerstone of his administration’s foreign policy.

If the visit takes place, it would be the highest-level Iranian delegation to travel to Kabul under the Islamic Emirate-led government and may signal a shift toward greater diplomatic engagement.

The mass departure of Afghan workers from Iran has created serious challenges for the country’s construction sector, which has long relied on Afghan labor for critical roles. According to Iraj Rahbar, head of the Tehran Construction Association, more than 50% of construction workers in Tehran were Afghan nationals.

In an interview with ILNA News Agency, Rahbar explained that Afghan workers had become essential in a range of roles — including unskilled labor, rebar work, stone masonry, building, and cement work — as many Iranian workers were unwilling to take on such physically demanding jobs for lower wages. Afghan workers, he noted, were not only more affordable but also commonly employed without social insurance, making them more attractive to employers.

Rahbar said that after the government’s decision to expel Afghan nationals, many construction projects have stalled. He added that replacing Afghan labor with Iranian workers will take time and significantly increase project costs.

Iran has stepped up deportation of Afghan refugees.

On Friday, Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council, warned of the humanitarian consequences of mass returns. He stated that over 1.5 million Afghans have been forced to return from Iran to Afghanistan, with many lacking shelter, income, or basic necessities.

Egeland called for an immediate end to forced deportations and urged the international community to step up humanitarian support for both Afghanistan and neighboring host countries.

“With over 22 million people already in need of assistance in Afghanistan, these arrivals would further exacerbate the need for aid,” he said.