Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says Tehran is opposed to the presence of foreign military forces in Afghanistan, noting that Afghanistan’s security must be guaranteed by Afghans.
“The presence of foreign forces will not result in the establishment of stability and peace in the region, and regional security could only be ensured through cooperation among countries in the region,” Rouhani said in a meeting with Acting Afghan Foreign Minister Zarar Ahmad Moqbel Osmani in Tehran on Wednesday.

Rouhani said people in the region wish to see outsiders leave Islamic lands.

The Iranian president also pointed to the strong and close Tehran-Kabul relations, adding that the Iranian government and nation highly respect the Afghan nation.

He said Iran has been hosting millions of Afghan refugees over the past 35 years.

Rouhani further called on the Afghan government to adopt effective measures and policies to combat poppy cultivation.

He also called for Iran-Afghanistan cooperation on environmental issues, expressing hope that the scourge of drought could be dealt with through mutual cooperation.

The acting Afghan foreign minister, for his part, hailed the agreement reached last Sunday between Iran and six world powers in Geneva over Tehran’s nuclear energy program.

Under the interim deal, said the top diplomat, the Sextet has agreed to lift all sanctions in the final stage of negotiations, cooperate with Tehran on its nuclear program and provide the country with modern facilities.

Osmani also briefed Rouhani on the recent developments in Afghanistan, particularly the four-day intense debate of Afghanistan's Loya Jirga or grand assembly on the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) between Kabul and Washington.

On Sunday, the Loya Jirga gathering of about 2,500 chieftains, tribal elders and politicians endorsed the BSA, and called on President Hamid Karzai to sign the deal immediately.

Karzai, however, said that the deal would not be signed until after April's presidential election, sparking a strong response from Washington, which wants it sealed by the end of this year.

Osmani also expressed gratitude to Iran for hosting millions of Afghan refugees, and praised Tehran’s efforts in the campaign against illicit drug trafficking.

“The combat against cultivation [of poppy] and trafficking of narcotics requires international cooperation, and according to international data, Iran is a harbinger in this field,” he noted.

The top Afghan diplomat also called for broader Kabul-Tehran trade ties and further maritime, rail and road transportation between the two neighboring states.

By Press TV

 

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