TEHRAN -- Iran’s Foreign Minister Muhammad Javad Zarif said Sunday the root cause of the current catastrophic situation in Afghanistan is the wrong policies of the foreign powers that interfere in that country’s internal affairs.
Zarif met the UN secretary general’s special envoy on Afghanistan and regional issues, Jean Arnault, who is currently in Tehran to discuss the ongoing situation in the war-ravaged country with high-ranking Iranian officials.
Referring to the perilous situation in Afghanistan and increasing complexity of conditions there, Zarif said erroneous policies adopted by foreign powers are among the most important factor creating the present conditions in the country.
“The international community must take an explicit stance on support for the political settlement of the crisis in Afghanistan and condemnation of violence and its repercussions,” the top Iranian diplomat said.
He expressed Iran’s readiness to help and facilitate intra-Afghan talks to promote peace in the war-ravaged country, saying the ongoing issues would only be solved through negotiations among warring sides.
In a statement on Saturday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry urged all warring sides in Afghanistan to end the conflict and settle their dispute through negotiation.
In July, Tehran hosted intra-Afghan talks between senior Taliban negotiators and officials from the Afghan government.
Opening the talks, the Iranian foreign minister said the Islamic Republic stands ready to help the neighboring country resolve its conflicts and achieve lasting peace.
During the Sunday meeting, the UN envoy said Iran and other regional countries play a leading role in promoting peace in Afghanistan.
Arnault said no single country or a group of limited countries would be able to solve the existing issues in Afghanistan and added that only collective cooperation can prevent further escalation of the situation.
He emphasized that intra-Afghan talks are the sole solution to problems in Afghanistan and said he held important and effective talks in Tehran.
Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani said earlier this month that Kabul has a plan to restore stability in the country in six months despite the fast-deteriorating security situation.
“The current situation is due to a sudden decision on the withdrawal of the international troops,” Ghani told the parliament.