Ahead of Milestone Opening of Khaf-Herat Railway:
Ministry Warns of ‘Suspicious’ Moves to Disrupt Afghan Ties
TEHRAN (Dispatches) -- Iran on Friday warned of "suspicious” moves to disrupt cordial relations between Tehran and Kabul, after a video emerged of Afghan nationals purportedly being insulted by Iranians.
The Iranian police issued a statement, saying the video published on social media was fake, and that the incident in question had not happened in Iran.
In a separate statement, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh called on the government and officials of the "brotherly and friendly country of Afghanistan” to not to rush to judgment.
"At a time when the Khaf-Herat railroad is to be inaugurated by both countries’ presidents in the coming days as the symbol of extensive cooperation between the two sides, it is inevitably necessary to be wary of suspicious actions by those who are against such relations,” Khatibzadeh said.
"Iran and Afghanistan are two friendly and neighboring countries with a common culture and a historical background of unity and cooperation,” the Iranian police said in its statement.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran has always supported Afghanistan despite all the problems and cruel sanctions, and will do so in the future,” it added.
It said Afghan people have lived in Iran for decades because of the numerous problems they face in their country, and Iran has always warmly received and hosted them as its brothers and sisters.
However, the enemies are not pleased with this empathy and humanitarian relationship and make mischievous efforts to scuttle it, it added.
"They spare no effort to destroy trust between the two countries, but the people of Iran and Afghanistan will always stand by each other and these tensions will not disrupt their cordial relations.”
Similar efforts to disrupt Iran-Afghanistan relations were made earlier this year following two incidents which involved the deaths of several Afghan nationals.
In the first incident in May, as many as 18 Afghan immigrants allegedly drowned while trying to cross the Harirud river on the Afghan border into Iran.
Western media was quick to claim that Iranian border guards had forced
them into the river at gunpoint, but Tehran categorically rejected the allegation.
On June 3, a bus driving from the Iranian central city of Yazd with a number of illegal Afghan refugees caught fire after it did not heed a police warning to stop.
The vehicle skidded for some eight kilometers and hit the guardrail after the police had to shoot a tire of the bus. The incident was used as a pretext to attack Iran and accuse it of mistreating Afghan immigrants.
The Iranian police issued a statement, saying the video published on social media was fake, and that the incident in question had not happened in Iran.
In a separate statement, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh called on the government and officials of the "brotherly and friendly country of Afghanistan” to not to rush to judgment.
"At a time when the Khaf-Herat railroad is to be inaugurated by both countries’ presidents in the coming days as the symbol of extensive cooperation between the two sides, it is inevitably necessary to be wary of suspicious actions by those who are against such relations,” Khatibzadeh said.
"Iran and Afghanistan are two friendly and neighboring countries with a common culture and a historical background of unity and cooperation,” the Iranian police said in its statement.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran has always supported Afghanistan despite all the problems and cruel sanctions, and will do so in the future,” it added.
It said Afghan people have lived in Iran for decades because of the numerous problems they face in their country, and Iran has always warmly received and hosted them as its brothers and sisters.
However, the enemies are not pleased with this empathy and humanitarian relationship and make mischievous efforts to scuttle it, it added.
"They spare no effort to destroy trust between the two countries, but the people of Iran and Afghanistan will always stand by each other and these tensions will not disrupt their cordial relations.”
Similar efforts to disrupt Iran-Afghanistan relations were made earlier this year following two incidents which involved the deaths of several Afghan nationals.
In the first incident in May, as many as 18 Afghan immigrants allegedly drowned while trying to cross the Harirud river on the Afghan border into Iran.
Western media was quick to claim that Iranian border guards had forced
them into the river at gunpoint, but Tehran categorically rejected the allegation.
On June 3, a bus driving from the Iranian central city of Yazd with a number of illegal Afghan refugees caught fire after it did not heed a police warning to stop.
The vehicle skidded for some eight kilometers and hit the guardrail after the police had to shoot a tire of the bus. The incident was used as a pretext to attack Iran and accuse it of mistreating Afghan immigrants.