Eurasian leaders are gathering in Afghanistan for festivities to mark the new year on the Persian calendar, known as Norouz.
Tajik President Emomali Rahmon was the first to arrive in Kabul for the event, which will be hosted by President Hamid Karzai.
Rahmon arrived on March 26 but was due to be joined by Iranian President Hassan Rohani, Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev, and Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain, who is making his first visit to Afghanistan since taking office in September.
State delegations from 11 other countries in the region will also be participating in the celebrations.
The leaders are also expected to discuss security, trade, and economic cooperation.
Norouz is the pre-Islamic Persian New Year celebration of the start of spring.
Tajik President Emomali Rahmon was the first to arrive in Kabul for the event, which will be hosted by President Hamid Karzai.
Rahmon arrived on March 26 but was due to be joined by Iranian President Hassan Rohani, Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev, and Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain, who is making his first visit to Afghanistan since taking office in September.
State delegations from 11 other countries in the region will also be participating in the celebrations.
The leaders are also expected to discuss security, trade, and economic cooperation.
Norouz is the pre-Islamic Persian New Year celebration of the start of spring.