TEHRAN (Dispatches) -- Iran has confirmed a meeting between Tehran’s special envoy for Afghanistan and a Taliban delegation in Qatar, saying the talks are aimed at promoting peace and security in the war-ravaged Afghanistan.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry’s special envoy for Afghanistan, Muhammad Ebrahim Taherian, held talks with Taliban’s deputy political leader and the Qatari special representative for Afghanistan in Doha on Monday, ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said late Tuesday.
"Such meetings take place in line with Iran’s efforts and consultations to facilitate intra-Afghan talks with the purpose of establishing peace, stability and security in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan,” he said.
Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the head of Taliban’s Qatar-based political bureau, met with the Iranian envoy in Doha and discussed issues related to Afghan refugees and peace in Afghanistan, Taliban’s political office spokesman Suhail Shaheen said.
Baradar said the Taliban were committed to all terms of the peace agreement, emphasizing that the group would start intra-Afghan talks once all Taliban prisoners are released, according to Shaheen.
Baradar visited Tehran first in November 2019 and held talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Muhammad Javad Zarif.
During those talks, Zarif highlighted the need for Afghan-Afghan talks and the formation of an all-inclusive government in the country.
Earlier this month, Afghan’s acting Foreign Minister Muhammad Hanif Atmar also visited Tehran and was told about Iran’s readiness to help initiate talks between Afghanistan’s government and the Taliban.
Tehran laid emphasis on the need for all Afghan groupings to join negotiations — spearheaded by the government — towards resolving the country’s problems.
Violence runs rampant across Afghanistan despite the presence of thousands of foreign forces, most American, in the country.