Ready to help ease Pak-Afghan tensions: Iran

Tehran, October 18 (IANS). Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaki and his Iranian counterpart Saeed Abbas Araghchi held telephone discussions on Saturday amid rising tensions between Kabul and Islamabad. The two ministers reviewed regional developments and bilateral relations with Araghchi and reportedly emphasized self-restraint, dialogue to resolve conflicts, cooperation on the Helmand River, border security and promotion of regional peace and stability. During this conversation, Araghchi expressed deep concern over the recent clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan. He urged both sides to exercise restraint and end hostilities, saying the ongoing tension between the two neighbors would not only cause humanitarian damage but also undermine the stability of the entire region. “The Iranian foreign minister also reiterated Tehran’s readiness to help ease tensions between the two countries and facilitate constructive dialogue. Minister Muttaki updated Araghchi on the latest developments and stressed that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan favors dialogue and peace rather than military confrontation,” Iran’s leading Mehr news agency reported. It added, “The two ministers also discussed the issue of water rights of the Helmand River, stressing the need to uphold existing water agreements, improve technical cooperation and jointly manage water resources to prevent wastage of water and ensure Iran’s fair share during the current season.” Officials from Iran and Afghanistan discussed security cooperation between the two neighboring countries and measures to ensure security along the shared border in Kabul on Friday. The meeting held in Kabul was attended by Iran’s Ambassador to Afghanistan Alireza Bikdeeli, Director General of South Asia in the Iranian Foreign Ministry Mohammad Reza Bahrami and Taliban’s Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani. According to the Tasnim news agency report, “The talks focused on security cooperation and border issues between the two neighboring countries. The two sides also held detailed discussions on joint efforts to combat drug trafficking and improve coordination along the shared border. The Iranian delegation stressed the importance of maintaining stability on the shared borders and continued dialogue in the spirit of Haani cooperation and solving stress. cooperation “He emphasized the importance of Afghanistan and said that the Taliban wants good relations based on mutual respect with all countries, especially its neighbors.” –IANS KR/ Share this story Tags