Iran says ready to encourage all Afghan groups to back Kabul, join national talks

  Speaking at his weekly press conference on Tuesday, Ali Rabiei, spokesman for the Iranian administration, elaborated on the goals of the Taliban political team’s trip to the Iranian capital earlier this week. The visit, he said, had been made “in coordination with the Afghan government and in line with the Islamic Republic of Iran’s long-standing policy of holding consultations with all political groups in Afghanistan with the purpose of promoting peace and stability in this country.”Rabiei said Iran “is ready to consult, in full coordination with the Afghan government, with all political groups and ethnicities that play a part in the developments currently unfolding in Afghanistan and its political future, and encourage them to participate in national talks meant to achieve lasting peace.”Given the long borders and the historical bonds that the two nations share, Afghanistan’s issues will have a direct impact on the security of Iran and that of its other neighbors, he said. “That is the reason why Tehran cannot remain indifferent to insecurity and instability, but this does not mean the existence of a special link between the Taliban group and us,” Rabiei added. The Iranian official added that the Taliban team’s visit was aimed at ensuring that all political groups, including the Taliban, support the Kabul government and contribute to the peace process in their homeland. “We seek to make sure that the Taliban are determined [enough] on the path of peace and avoidance of violence,” Rabiei said.