Kabul, June 28 (IANS) Afghanistan’s Vice President Mohammad Karim Khalili Saturday said his country should boost cultural cooperation with Iran given the two sides’ strong religious, lingual and historical commonalties. Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the first Teachers Training Centre for Afghan teachers in Kabul, Khalili appreciated Iran’s cooperation in establishing the centre and stressed the need for deepening of the two nations’ relations, IRNA news agency reported.

Iran’s Minister of Education Ali-Reza Ali-Ahmadi, who is currently in Kabul as head of a delegation, said the training centre has been set up as per agreements reached by the two countries.

He said Iran and Afghanistan share lingual, religious and cultural commonalties and they both speak Persian that is part of the world civilisation.

Referring to Iran’s nuclear success as well as the country’s progress in medical sciences, Ali-Ahmadi said the neighbouring countries are keen to get familiar with Iran’s scientific achievements.

Afghan Minister of Education, Mohammad Hanif Atmar, said Iran is Afghanistan’s most friendly country.

He said given the fact the number of students is increasing in Afghanistan and the country lacks skilled teachers, the newly established centre can solve these problems.

He called the Teachers Training Centre, a token of friendship between the two nations.

Afghanistan’s first Teachers Training Centre has been built at a cost of $5 million granted by Iran and took three years to complete the construction.