A UN envoy has called for increased cooperation among members of the international community to accelerate the peace process in Afghanistan. Tadamichi Yamamoto, the special envoy of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for Afghanistan, made the statement in a meeting with Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi in Tehran on Monday. Araqchi said Tehran expects the world body to play a bigger role in efforts to restore peace to Afghanistan, IRNA reported. In a separate meeting on Monday, Yamamoto sat down for talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. Yamamoto stressed the need for rallying greater support for the Afghan peace process, saying stability in Afghanistan will greatly benefit the region. Zarif voiced Tehran's readiness to boost cooperation with the UN in Afghanistan "in all fields", Anadolu Agency reported. The top Iranian diplomat also called for increased political and economic cooperation between Tehran and Kabul, as well as collaboration in fighting the self-styled Islamic State terrorist group operating in Afghanistan.
