Iran supports UN efforts for stabilising Afghanistan

KABUL.

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif held out the promise of supporting Afghanistan during a meeting with UN Secretary General's Special Envoy Tadamichi Yamamoto in Tehran on Sunday.

IRNA quoted Zarif as saying Iran was ready for close cooperation with the UN in Afghanistan. He said Iran’s policy of backing the unity government was in line with stabilisation efforts.

For his part, Yamamoto hailed Iran’s measures in Afghanistan as constructive. He said security in Afghanistan had worsened after the pullout of foreign forces. He urged Iran to continue backing peace efforts in Afghanistan.

Also on Sunday, the UN diplomat met the head of Strategic Research Centre of Expediency Council, Ali Akbar Velayati, who said Iran was averse to extremism, violence and terrorism in the region.

Velayati said Afghanistan needed concrete global support for its campaign to eradicate the menace of terror. He called Afghanistan an important country, which had been facing serious problems in the past decades.

Yamamoto agreed Afghanistan required greater security for economic growth and development. He, however, regretted terrorists were conducting devastating operations in the country.

PAN Monitor/mud