Tehran will be the hub of active diplomacy to promote peace and stability in the region through initiatives such as a conference on Afghanistan, a senior Iranian diplomat said.
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh made the remarks in a press briefing on Tuesday, after announcing the details of the one-day conference scheduled for Wednesday.
“What the people of Afghanistan expect of countries like Iran is that they help them to exercise their own will,” he was quoted as saying by IRNA.
Iran is hosting a ministerial conference today attended by Afghanistan’s six neighbors plus Russia.
Foreign ministers from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Pakistan are set to participate in person while Chinese and Russian top diplomats are to join the event online with their representatives present in Tehran.
President Ebrahim Raeisi is scheduled to open the conference with a speech, after which the participants will hold discussions, trying to agree on a joint statement.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is also slated to send a message to the meeting, which, according to Khatibzadeh, indicates the international community’s recognition of Iran has a hub of diplomatic efforts toward regional peace.
“This meeting, which is held to boost cooperation among Afghanistan’s neighbors to establish sustainable peace in this county, is the continuation of an earlier virtual meeting of ministers,” he said.
In those consultations, participants reached agreement on basic principles, according to the spokesman, including the need for a stable Afghanistan which engages in regional cooperation arrangements, and the importance of Afghan people’s preferences for the future of their country, as well as an inclusive government that reflects the ethnic variety of the nation.
In this meeting, the foreign ministers will review the causes of the current situation and ways to guarantee a secure future for Afghanistan, he said.
They will also announce their governments’ official stance about the Afghan crisis.
Different ethnic groups from inside and outside of Afghanistan had also expressed readiness to attend this conference, according to Khatibzadeh.
“These requests will be put forward by Iran for decision making by foreign ministers… Some of the requests will be decided upon in the next meeting which will possibly be held in Beijing [China],” he said.
Russia, which has no borders with Afghanistan, also requested to join the consultations and neighboring states discussed its presence in the first virtual meeting and agreed to admit it in the Tehran conference, he explained.
First Priority
Khatibzadeh said the current leaders of the South Asian country must be open to the demands of the people and make preparations for the establishment of a government comprising of all ethnicities.
“For us, protecting the people of Afghanistan and upholding their rights is the first priority,” he said, hoping an inclusive system will be formed based on the will of the nation and without foreign interference.
As an active player, Iran has always called for the non-interference of foreigners and protection of the independence and territorial integrity of Afghanistan, he said.
Moreover, while hosting over four million Afghan nationals already, Iran has also faced a new wave of displaced people and refugees which caused problems for the country, especially with the United States’ pressure and sanctions in place, he added.
“International organizations must fulfill their duties toward host countries, including Iran, who admit this number of refugees.”
The United States attacked Afghanistan in 2001 and toppled the Taliban from power, but its abrupt and irresponsible withdrawal after 20 years paved the way for the insurgent group to seize power again.
The chaotic situation has also prepared the ground for the rise of terrorist groups, including the Afghan affiliate of the self-styled Islamic State that has carried out a series of attacks on mosques and other targets, killing hundreds of people.
Khatibzadeh called for efforts to restore security in Afghanistan and alleviate the economic pressure on the nation.
“It is essential that we do not reduce or cut our trade ties with this country and continue sending basic goods to Afghanistan,” he said.
