Iran is ready to play the role of an intermediary in the dialogue between the Taliban (banned in the Russian Federation) and the Afghan resistance forces, and to expand the format of such meetings to involve the countries of the region, including Russia. This was reported by the Afghan newspaper Hasht-e Subh on Wednesday, citing sources in Tehran.
Iran is preparing a dialogue between the Taliban and the National Resistance Front, but so far at an unofficial level. Meanwhile, Iran is ready both to promote a productive dialogue between the two sides and to organize official meetings between the Taliban, the resistance, other political movements and prominent Afghan politicians and figures.
Moreover, the newspaper notes, Iran hopes to involve some interested countries, including Russia, China, Pakistan and Turkey, into the dialogue in the future. But at this stage, these are only theoretical prospects, since the dialogue between the Taliban and the resistance is developing slowly.
On January 10, Amir Khan Mottaki, head of the Foreign Ministry in the Taliban government of Afghanistan, said that he met with resistance leader Ahmad Massoud and Ismail Khan, head of the militia in Herat Province. These contacts allegedly took place in Tehran, where Mottaki was on a visit. Meanwhile, the resistance forces denied reports of talks between Mottaki and Massoud in Iran, calling the information fabricated.
Hasht-e-Subh, in turn, citing sources in Tehran, nevertheless notes that such a meeting did take place, and it was held in a calm and serious atmosphere. The newspaper wrote that Mottaki called on Massoud and his comrades-in-arms to return to Afghanistan and cooperate with the Taliban in establishing an inclusive government.
The radical Taliban launched a massive operation to take control of Afghanistan after the US announced in the spring the decision to withdraw its armed forces from there. On August 15 last year, the Taliban entered Kabul without a fight and on September 7 announced the composition of their provisional government, whose legitimacy has not yet been recognized by any country.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Creative Commons
Based on materials from TASS