Afghanistan–Iran relations

Relations between Afghanistan and modern state of Iran ( Persia ) were officially established in 1935 during King Zahir Shah's reign and the Shah of Iran Reza Shah Pahlavi, though ties between the two countries have existed for millennia. As a result, many Afghans speak Persian, as Dari (an eastern dialect of Persian) is one of the official languages of Afghanistan, and many in Afghanistan also celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year.

Relations were negatively affected by the 1978 Saur Revolution and 1979 Iranian Revolution and issues related to the 1978–present Afghan conflicts (i.e. PDPA, Mujahideen, Afghan refugees, and the Taliban), as well as Iran's water dispute and the growing influence of the United States in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. In July 2019, the Iranian government passed a law that provides Afghan nationals with a new chance to get Iranian residency. Afghans with specific scientific and professional achievements and those who have Iranian spouses and children are among those who are qualified to benefit from the law.