Iran supports inclusive govt in Afghanistan: FM

KABUL (Pajhwok): Iranian foreign minister says neighboring countries can play a constructive role in helping Afghanistan manage a political crisis by building national consensus.

The statements were made by Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdullah Yan at the second meeting of Afghanistan's neighbors in Tehran.

A statement from Iranian foreign ministry quoted Yan as saying, "The crisis that worries us all today is the legacy of the aberrant intervention of the oppressive powers in our region, the United States invaded Afghanistan 20 years ago under the pretext of fighting terrorism and continued its military presence that led to instability."

Washington escaped and abandoned Afghanistan without making this country developed and created the mess we all today see it, he said.

Yan said that Afghanistan's neighbors can play a constructive role in creating harmony between political and ethnic groups in Afghanistan and help manage the current crisis in the country on international level.

“Afghanistan is a country of acceptance and cooperation of different ethnic groups, and whenever this interaction and cooperation is ignored, the peace, stability and tranquility of Afghanistan are threatened,” he said.

He said his country supported an inclusive government formed from all ethnic groups and minorities in Afghanistan without the interference of foreign players.

He added that neighboring countries were expected to use all their influence on Taliban leaders and other Afghan parties to encourage and facilitate solidarity and collective participation in forming new administration.

The Iranian foreign minister added that the Taliban needed to take a friendly approach to their neighbors and take necessary steps to ensure that there would be no threat from Afghanistan to its neighbors.

The Afghan people needed urgent humanitarian assistance, including food, medicine and vaccines to combat Covid-19, he said.

He said that the United Nations should cooperate if mediation is needed between the Afghan parties to reach an agreement on the future political structure of the country.

Mds/ma