HERAT CITY (PAN): Iranian Consul General at the Iranian Consulate in western Herat province says his country supports any Afghan-led efforts aimed at bringing peace and stability to the war-battered country.
Speaking at a press conference in Herat city on Wednesday, Rahim Mohammadi Yakta said: "We will not interfere, and will support a homegrown solution to the problem."
President Hamid Karzai has announced a renewed national reconciliation plan which also offers jobs and other incentives to the disgruntled elements for switching sides.
Answering a query, the consulate official said Afghans could decide their fate on their own. Iran recognises and respects the independence and territorial integrity of Afghanistan, he said.
It merits a mention here that Iran skipped the January 28 London Conference on the future of Afghanistan, arguing the meeting's approach was towards increasing military action in Afghanistan. However, Iran's move was widely condemned by Afghan political analysts.
Yakta also expressed deep shock at the killing of five Afghan citizens by Iranian border police last Friday. He said the 900 kilometres long border sometimes witnesses such incidents. "We have to control our borders in the face of looming threats posed by our enemies in Afghanistan and existence of the US and NATO troops as well as drug smuggling and insecurity."
He said the Afghans who had illegally entered Iran were not killed intentionally, but they were thought being militants.
According to the Iranian consulate 500-3000 Afghans enter Iran on a daily basis for job purposes. The official also criticised the behaviour of Afghan security guards towards Iranian citizens. He said if an Iranian illegally enters Afghan soil, he has to face torture and long-term imprisonment.
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