Tasnim � An assistant to Iran�s foreign minister and the director-general of the Foreign Ministry�s Department for West Asia urged a lasting ceasefire in Afghanistan after the Taliban announced a three-day ceasefire over the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha.

�If ceasefire is good� why (only) three days? Let a permanent one prevail,� Seyed Rasoul Mousavi tweeted on Thursday.

It came after the Taliban on Tuesday announced a three-day ceasefire in Afghanistan during the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha starting on Friday.

In a statement, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid ordered the group's fighters "to refrain from carrying out any operation" during the Eid al-Adha celebrations but warned any attack "by the enemy" would be met with force.

The Afghan president's spokesman, Sediq Sediqqi, said the government welcomed the ceasefire announcement but added that Afghans wanted "a lasting ceasefire and the start of direct talks between the Taliban and the government of Afghanistan.�