Japan, Iran to Team on Aid

TOKYO, April 11 (Daily Yomiuri): The Iranian and Japanese governments have agreed to jointly launch antinarcotic and job training programs for Afghanistan, it has been learned.

Full details on the bilateral aid-project agreement will be announced soon.

With the projects, Tokyo aims to make reconstruction contributions in cooperation with Iran.

The agreement was unveiled by Iranian Ambassador to Japan Abbas Araghchi during an interview with The Yomiuri Shimbun.

The aid programs to be jointly launched by Tehran and Tokyo will focus on:

-- Reinforcing control of the Iranian border to block drug trafficking routes.

-- Cooperating with the private sector to provide job training programs.

-- Supporting Afghan refugees in Iran in returning home.

Drug trafficking is an international problem with large amounts of drugs smuggled via Iran to Europe. To fight the problem, Iran will train Afghan police in charge of border security, while Japan will provide equipment, including vehicles, for the local police. Iran and Japan will share tasks in their respective realms of expertise.

According to Araghchi, the Iranian and Japanese governments are coordinating views and will announce the planned projects during an international meeting of nations to support Pakistan scheduled to be held in Tokyo on Friday.

Tehran apparently aims to emerge from its isolation in the global community by contributing to the aid projects together with Japan.