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Iran has Contacts not Links With Taliban: Envoy
Amid reports of Tehran’s involvement in deteriorating security in western Farah province of Afghanistan, the Iran ambassador in Kabul says his country has no links with the Taliban but have contacts to bring the group to the negotiation table.
Speaking in a special interview with Ariana News on Saturday, the Iranian envoy Mohammad Reza Bahrami said that Iran's contacts with the Taliban aim to help and support the Afghanistan peace and reconciliation process.
"We have contacts not relations [with the Taliban]," Bahrami said. "It is in our interest to be a contributor in talks between the government of Afghanistan and opposition groups."
Bahrami, meanwhile, said that his country has not been involved behind the Taliban's recent attacks in the provincial capital of western Farah province - bordering with Iran- that left scores killed and injured. He said any kind of debates in this regard will concern and harm public opinion.
"Personally I don't accept the concept. This impression is not real and will create concerns to public. This impression and mentality is not documented," he said.
Referring to Iran's role in recruiting Afghan nationals to fight in Syria as part of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), the Iranian envoy said that the Afghans are voluntarily taking part in Syrian war in a bid to defend the holy places in the country.
"We have not encouraged or guided them, it has been based on their will. We are in Syria based on the request of Syrian government," Bahrami said. "We have had advisory role there and we are doing this with the agreement of Syrian government."
The official, meanwhile expressed hope that the Afghan security forces earn that capability to defend their country without the support of international forces.
By Shakib Mahmud & Diana Samadi
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Iran’s envoy meets UNAMA deputy, stresses cooperation with Afghanistan
Hassan Kazemi Qomi, Iran's ambassador and special representative for Afghanistan met late Thursday with Georgette Gagnon, UNAMA’s deputy special political envoy for Kabul and they stressed the increase of cooperation with Afghanistan, the embassy said in a statement.
In this meeting, Qomi told Gagnon that Iran would support any initiative taken by the international community for Afghanistan.
In the meeting of Georgette Gagnon with Mr. Kazemi, the issue of narcotics and the presence of the private sector in Afghanistan were discussed, and Iran supports any constructive initiative of the international community for Afghanistan,” according to the statement.
Experts, meanwhile, believe the solutions of the United Nations to cooperate with Afghanistan's neighboring countries in consolidating stability and security can solve key issues such as terrorism and immigration.
Some experts consider strengthening Iran's partnership and cooperation with the UN for greater stability in Afghanistan is important and necessary.
However, Iran has not yet recognized the caretaker government of Afghanistan and has repeatedly emphasized the establishment of a comprehensive government in the country.
Over the past three years, Iran has established good relations with the Islamic Emirate, and trade between the two countries has increased.
Meanwhile, Tehran has previously opposed the appointment of a special representative for Afghanistan by the United Nations.
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Ten people killed in Baghlan attack
Ten people were killed by unknown individuals in Afghanistan’s northern Baghlan province on Thursday night, police said on Friday.
The incident happened as the victims were doing Zikr at a mosque in Shahr-e-Kuhna of Nahrin district, police said in a statement.
The statement said that they used to regularly go to mosques and monasteries at night after returning from work.
Abdul Ghayoor Khadim, a provincial police official, said that several people were arrested in connection with the incident, adding that an investigation was launched.
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Chinese, Turkmen officials meet to discuss Afghanistan
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Serdar Muhammetdurdiyev on Thursday met with Chinese special envoy for Afghanistan, Yue Xiaoyong, the Foreign Ministry of Turkmenistan announced.
During the meeting, the sides discussed priority vectors of strategic interstate cooperation built on a long-term, mutually beneficial basis, as well as exchanged views on the implementation of previously reached agreements.
It was noted that personal contacts between the leaders of the two countries play a key role in intensifying the interstate dialogue, which give a strong impulse to further development and expansion of Turkmen-Chinese ties.
It was emphasized that Turkmenistan considers multilateral international platforms for maintaining stability in Afghanistan as an important factor in promoting sustainable improvement of socio-economic state of the neighboring country. The sides exchanged views on the preparations to the 5th meeting of Foreign Ministers of Afghanistan's Neighboring States to be held in Turkmenistan.
The interlocutors reaffirmed that Turkmenistan and China will continue to provide all-round support for the economic restoration of Afghanistan.
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