Iran’s decision to make a more concerted and open push for peace in Afghanistan through direct negotiations with the Taliban can help increase security in both countries as well as the entire region, a political analyst said.
“The move to hold talks with the Taliban can open up great opportunities for Tehran, Kabul and countries such as Pakistan, and can certainly lead to positive security achievements for the countries surrounding Afghanistan,” Nozar Shafiei, an expert on international affairs, told the Iranian Diplomacy website in a recent interview.
His comments came days after Iran confirmed that Taliban representatives negotiated with Iranian officials in Tehran late December with the knowledge of the Kabul government in a fresh bid to help end the 17-year conflict and restore peace to Afghanistan ahead of a possible US drawdown.
Iran had earlier said, without providing details, that it was in contact with the group to help make Afghanistan a more secure and stable country and that the talks will continue.
The Taliban have been waging an insurgency for a decade and a half in an attempt to drive out international forces and overthrow the western-backed government in Kabul so that they can reestablish their version of strict Islamic law.
Threats and Opportunities
Asked about possible reasons behind Iran’s decision to make a more public effort to engage with Afghanistan’s largest militant group, Shafiei said it can be largely attributed to the “opportunities and challenges” that the Taliban have created for Tehran.
“In other words, Iran is seeking to reap benefits for itself and other regional countries, particularly Afghanistan, based on its analysis of the threats and opportunities presented by the Taliban.”
The expert noted that the Taliban group is one of the main parties to the conflict in Afghanistan and continued instability there can undermine security in neighboring states, including Iran, which shares a long border with the war-hit country.
“Through talks with the Taliban, Iran is seeking to encourage the group to work toward promotion of peace in Afghanistan,” Shafiei said.
Potential Pawn
The expert said another reason is that Iran wants to prevent the Taliban from becoming a “pawn” in the hands of other governments, especially those of Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and thwart any ploy to jeopardize Iran’s national security given the conflict of interests between Tehran and these countries.
The Taliban met with officials from the United States, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in the UAE in December as part of a flurry of diplomatic efforts to put an end to the war.
Shafiei maintains that Iran’s policy could also be directed toward curbing the influence of other militant groups in Afghanistan.
“Both Iran and the Taliban have a common enemy, namely Daesh, in Afghanistan, and, based on the ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend’ philosophy, Iran can repel a bigger threat along its eastern border by holding talks with the Taliban,” he said.
The Arabic acronym refers to the self-styled Islamic State terrorist group that is seen as a growing threat to Afghanistan’s hopes for peace.
