New govt in Iran: Challenges and opportunities in Kabul-Tehran ties

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Center for Strategic Studies of Afghanistan on Saturday held a meeting to discuss relations between Kabul and Tehran, common challenges and opportunities with the new government of Iran.

The meeting stressed the transition of relations between the two countries to the economic and cultural phase.

The meeting conferred on development of relations between the two countries, and changing common challenges into opportunities. The participants believed available opportunities in Afghanistan could encourage Iran to have positive relations with the Islamic Emirate.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement said  an academic meeting titled “The New Government of Iran and Opportunities to Strengthen Kabul-Tehran Relations” was held at the Center for Strategic Studies.

Waliullah Shaheen, the head of the center, told the meeting that Afghanistan and Iran were neighboring countries and a neighbor enjoyed ‘a very high place’ and ‘value’ in the religious texts.

He said that Afghanistan had good relationship and trade with Iran and hoped that bilateral relations would be strengthened with the change of government in Iran.

Jafar Mahdavi, another participant of the meeting, also said that scientific and expert opinion was important in all institutions of the system, especially in the foreign policy apparatus. He said he gave advice to the executive department after careful research and exploration.

He praised Foreign Minister Maulvi Amir Khan Muttaqi for giving importane to young and expert force ---a reason behind the successful foreign policy.

He said military and armed struggle had come to fruition and a new struggle had begun in a more broad, complex and important aspect, i.e. governance.

He stressed the need for establishing relations with the rest of the world and removing misunderstandings. “Therefore, foreign policy is also a very heavy and difficult responsibility”.

Mahdavi said change of governments in Iran could not bring about a change in the general policy, but it could be used as a new opportunity.

According to him, for Iran, relations with Afghanistan are very important because both countries share a common border measuring 950 kilometers and religious, linguistic and cultural commonalities.

He said Iran should refrain from requesting an undefined inclusive government in Kabul because it was an internal matter of Afghanistan, which was not practical and acceptable right now.

Jafar Mahdavi said perceptions exited that relations between the new government in Iran and the Islamic Emirate might not be as fast as in the previous three-year period.

“But still it depends on the position of the Islamic Emirate. If the Emirate takes dynamic and constructive steps in relations, these developments will be saved from slowing down.”

He said Iran was criticized in the last three years for being more inclined in bilateral relations to the Islamic Emirate and that was why the new president had discussed a balanced interaction with neighboring countries.

Mahdavi said: “Changing relations to economic and cultural phase is in the interest of both countries because if relations become economic and interests are shared, bilateral relations will become even stronger and will come out of the current border problems and other threats.”

Mohammad Hussein Saeed, an official of Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told the meeting interaction with neighboring countries should a priority of foreign policy.

He called on the Islamic Emirate to increase efforts to develop relations with neighboring countries, especially Iran and said there were a number of points that needed to be focused on.

He said security measures of the Islamic Emirate encouraged Iran to interact with the Emirate as a powerful government.

In addition to this, he said, many other things encouraged Iran to have positive relations with Afghanistan.

He cited Afghanistan's transit position, its important role in economic corridors and regional connectivity, Afghanistan's export and import capacity and Iran's need for Afghanistan's market, Afghanistan's water capacity and so on.

He added that a number of common challenges exited that could be turned into opportunities.

He said the Islamic Emirate had successfully fought against the threat of ISIS group, common long border, narcotics, immigration or human trafficking and these challenges could be turned into opportunities in two-way interaction.

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