Iran Press/ Commentary: Seyyed Rasoul Mousavi, an assistant to Iran's foreign minister and the director-general of the Foreign Ministry's West Asia Department, said that the presence and consultation of representatives of the regional contact group for Afghanistan in the Tehran meeting shows the efforts and commitment of these countries to establish peace, stability and sustainable development in Afghanistan and the region in the light of cooperation and regional convergence of knowledge.
Mousavi considered the presence of "Asif Ali Khan Durrani", the special representative of the Prime Minister of Pakistan for Afghanistan affairs, in Tehran's meeting as one of the highlights of this event.
The relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan have reached their lowest level in the last two years due to border disputes and terrorist accusations by both sides in the border areas.
Afghanistan is facing economic and human crisis and extensive destruction of infrastructure due to 20 years of American military occupation.
After leaving Afghanistan in August 2021, when the Taliban regained power in this country, the United States blocked about 10 billion dollars of the assets of the Afghan people and imposed sanctions on this country.
These factors have complicated the situation for the people of this country. In such a situation, the countries of the region, especially Iran, China, Russia and Pakistan, are trying to reduce the problems of Afghanistan by holding numerous meetings in different formats.
Previously, in the meeting of the regional contact group on Afghanistan, which was held in Kabul last winter and at the suggestion of Iran, the representatives of the regional countries voiced their readiness to cooperate with the government based in Kabul (Taliban) to establish stability, security and development in this country.The holding of the first meeting of the international contact group with the presence of special representatives of the countries of the region and Afghanistan's neighbors at the initiative of Iran in Kabul, as well as the holding of the meeting of the regional contact group for Afghanistan in Tehran, shows that Tehran always takes the lead in trying to help solve the problems of the Afghan people.
Iran's generous hosting of millions of Afghan refugees in the past four decades, despite the problems and sanctions that the Islamic Republic has faced, and the provision of material and technical assistance for the reconstruction of Afghanistan, is only a small part of Iran's support and assistance to Afghanistan in these years.
After the effectiveness of the Taliban government in Afghanistan due to its non-recognition at the international level, this country is facing many problems that, according to the belief of the Islamic Republic of Iran, at this point, Afghanistan's neighboring countries can practically take steps to help solve Afghanistan's problems.
Therefore, the formation of an international contact group on the issue of Afghanistan for this country to overcome the existing challenges and achieve stability has been placed on the agenda of Tehran's diplomacy. Neighboring countries came to the conclusion that they should change the conditions in this country in a collective movement and regional initiative, while cooperating with the caretaker government of Afghanistan.
Therefore, the formation of an international contact group on the issue of Afghanistan for this country to overcome the existing challenges and achieve stability has been placed on the agenda of Tehran's diplomacy.
According to "Hassan Kazemi Qomi", Ambassador and Special Representative of the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Afghanistan, the neighboring countries have come to the conclusion that in a collective movement and regional initiative, while cooperating with the caretaker government of Afghanistan, the conditions in this country should be improved
Therefore, he considers it necessary to cooperate more with neighboring countries to help solve Afghanistan's problems, without relying on foreign elements.
In any case, holding the meeting of the international contact group with the presence of special representatives of the neighboring countries and the region in Tehran, although it creates a good opportunity for the Taliban to integrate itself in regional cooperation, but this means that the Taliban is not responsible in terms of the ruling obligations toward its citizens.
Since the Taliban supposes that with the development of regional cooperation, it no longer needs international recognition, and in this way it can solve its problems with regional cooperation without seeking international recognition.
Meanwhile, holding meetings like the international contact group does not imply international recognition of the Taliban's sovereignty over Afghanistan, but its realization depends on the performance of the Taliban in various issues, including the observance of citizens' rights and the formation of an inclusive government, which is an international demand. 219
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