Iran's acting Foreign Minister, Ali Bagheri Kani, discussed bilateral cooperation and the Israeli operation in the Gaza Strip during a phone call with Amir Khan Muttaqi, the acting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan's Taliban government (banned in Russia and recognized as a terrorist organization). This was reported by the Iranian Foreign Ministry on its Telegram channel. The conversation took place on the evening of June 16.
Bagheri Kani emphasized the necessity of joint actions by Muslim countries, particularly within the framework of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, to pressure [Israel] to stop its crimes against Palestinians. He highlighted South Africa’s lawsuit against Israel in the International Court of Justice in The Hague and the severing of diplomatic relations with Israel by several Latin American countries.
The Iranian diplomat expressed Iran’s desire to help Afghanistan overcome its challenges and hoped for further expansion of bilateral cooperation between Tehran and Kabul in various fields.
On December 24, 2023, Muttaqi met in Tehran with Iran's then-Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, who died on May 19 in a helicopter crash involving President Ebrahim Raisi. During the meeting, they discussed issues related to water resource distribution, border and transportation issues, and the Israeli operation in Gaza, on which they generally shared similar views. Iran does not recognize the Taliban government and insists on the creation of an inclusive government in Afghanistan, advocating for the protection of the rights of Afghan Hazaras, who, like Iranians, follow Shia Islam.
On May 27, 2023, clashes occurred on the Iran-Afghanistan border between the Islamic Republic’s border guards and the Taliban, resulting in casualties on both sides. Similar skirmishes had occurred earlier in 2021 and 2022. The conflict is attributed to a dispute over the Helmand River, which flows through both countries. Tehran claimed that Kabul was not adhering to the 1973 agreement stipulating an average annual supply of 820 million cubic meters of water to Iran. In May 2024, Iranian authorities noted that Afghanistan had provided about 300 million cubic meters of water to Iran over the past year.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Mohammed Ibrahim/Unsplash
Based on materials from TASS