Kabul, Nov. 16 -- Afghanistan has increased its trade volume via Iran and Central Asian countries as part of efforts to reduce reliance on Pakistan after the diplomatic ties between the two nations deteriorated following the intense border clashes last month, Tolo News reported.

According to Tolo News, citing Afghanistan's Ministry of Industry and Commerce, it stated that the country is using the Chabahar Port in Iran to bypass frequent disruptions at Pakistan's borders and ease political pressures from Islamabad, shifting transit agreements to alternative routes.

An official spokesperson from the Afghan trade ministry also stated that Afghanistan's trade with Iran reached USD 1.626 billion over the past six months, compared to USD 1.10...