MNA – NATO’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has called for Iran and Russia’s support for Afghan peace process ahead of the meetings of NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs in Brussels.







NATO’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg made the remarks in a statement published on the NATO’s website today December 4.

In response to a question whether there is any chance that NATO is going to contribute with Russia and Iran in order to create the foundation for a sustainable peace process in Afghanistan, Stoltenberg responded “of course we expect all powers, countries in the region, including Russian and Iran, to support this Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process and play a constructive role.”

He added that NATO strongly supports an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process. Therefore, it welcomes the initiative taken by President Ghani.

He added that the organization also welcomes a ceasefire this summer and also the offer by Ghani to sit down with the Taliban and have unconditional peace talks.

The NATO secretary general went on to claim that NATO is there to create a foundation for a political solution and send a clear message to the Taliban that they will never win on the battlefield and they have to sit down at the negotiating table and engage in a real peace negotiation with the government.

This invitation for Iran's contribution to Afghan peace process comes few days aftrer the US special envoy for Iran Brian Hook accused Iran of violating UN resolution by sending arms to  its proxies in Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen, and called on Europe to sanction Tehran.