The spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday that the second foreign ministerial meeting of neighbors of Afghanistan plus Russia will be held here on Wednesday.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi will inaugurate the meeting and deliver a speech to it, Saeed Khatibzadeh told reporters at his weekly press briefing in Tehran.
The meeting will be held with participation of foreign ministers of six neighbors to Afghanistan, the spokesman said, adding that Uzbek, Tajik, Turkmen and Pakistani foreign ministers will take part in person while the Chinese and Russian foreign ministers will attend the meeting online; meanwhile, representatives from Beijing and Moscow will be present in the meeting.
Secretary-General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres will dispatch a message to the Tehran important meeting and his message indicates that Islamic Republic of Iran is the center of active diplomacy which takes step towards regional peace and stability, the spokesman noted.
Tomorrow, eyes will be on the future of Afghanistan and on the determination of the Afghans, the spokesman stated.
What Afghan people expect from countries like the Islamic Republic of Iran is to help them go for their will, which is also asked for by four million Afghan people residing in Iran, Khatibzadeh underlined.
The caretaker government in Afghanistan should listen to people’s demands; this way, Taliban can show that they can act as a responsible caretaker which would pave the way for forming a sustainable inclusive government consisting of all parties and ethnic groups, he stressed.
About the Tehran meeting, the spokesman said that the neighboring countries to Afghanistan will exchange views in the gathering about sustainable peace in the country.
Referring to recent developments in Afghanistan, Khatibzadeh said that the events have created new difficulties for Iran that has been facing the US unilateral sanctions and pressures.
He went on to say that international bodies should shoulder responsibility for the host countries, such as Iran, which have witnessed a new wave of emigration and refuge from Afghanistan.
He further expressed hope that the today crisis in Afghanistan would be solved without foreign interference and through formation of an inclusive government which preserves people’s rights.
Referring to the insecure situation in Afghanistan and the economic pressures in that country, the spokesman stressed the importance of continuing dispatches of fundamental needs to the country and not reducing trade exchange with it.
Further, he expressed deep concerns over the attacks and terrorist measures in different Afghan cities.
From the beginning, the Islamic Republic of Iran has underlined the importance of non-interference of foreigners and preservation of Afghanistan’s independence and territorial integrity, the spokesman stressed.
Besides all these issues, Iran has stood by the Afghan people and makes effort to help them meet their demands, he added.
Elsewhere, the spokesman talked of the US two-decade long aggression and occupation of Afghanistan, occupation has brought nothing but security, political, and social destruction in the country, he said.
He went on to say that many countries believe that the United States is the main cause for current situation in Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, the October 27 meeting will review roots behind Afghanistan’s current situation, he noted.
Asked whether Afghanistan will have a representative in the Tehran meeting or not, the spokesman replied “no,” adding that the Wednesday gathering is after reaching a consensus.
Tehran has received calls from some groups in and out of Afghanistan, he said, noting that the Tehran meeting will review the calls and decide based on them.
Also, some of them will be discussed in Beijing, China, which may be the next venue for the gathering, Khatibzadeh said.
