Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Friday, March 29th, 2024

Iran Voices Concerns over Afghan-US Agreement

Iran Voices Concerns  over Afghan-US Agreement

KABUL - Iran is concerned the Afghanistan-US long-term agreement may lead to more insecurity and instability the region, Press TV reported Sunday.
Criticizing the agreement's lack of detail about what the nature of the US presence in Afghanistan will be after 2013, Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said Iran prefers a complete withdrawal of all foreign troops and that Afghanistan should lead any peace negotiations.

He also raised concerns about ongoing speculation that the US will seek to have permanent bases in Afghanistan, saying it could play a significant role in further destabilizing both Afghanistan and the region.
"Ambiguity about US military bases in Afghanistan and lack of transparency regarding the military role of US forces in the future have raised Iran's and other countries' concerns," Mehmanparast said.

"Iran believes that peace and stability in Afghanistan is possible with a complete withdrawal of ISAF troops, closure of any foreign military base in Afghanistan, and the start of Afghan-led peace negotiations," he added.
"This agreement will not help stabilize Afghanistan but as the last decade shows, it could promote instability."

Afghanistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded Sunday that the Afghan-US pact is not a threat to regional countries, but rather could increase peace and stability in the region.
Afghan Foreign Ministry spokesman Janan Mosazai said that Afghanistan will not be used to launch attacks against any other country.

"We have always assured neighboring countries, particularly Iran, that we will not tolerate any kind of threat from our soil against them," Mosazai said at a press conference in Kabul.
"We expect other countries not to allow their soil to be used against Afghanistan," he added.

Iran's statement perpetuates the longstanding speculation that the US will seek to keep permanent bases in Afghanistan after the NATO combat mission ends in 2014.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai told reporters the day after the agreement was signed last week that the agreement poses no threat to the region.

"There is no threat from Afghanistan soil to our neighbors," Karzai said Thursday.
US ambassador to Afghanistan Ryan Crocker made similar assurances Thursday.

"Our commitments are to Afghanistan in that agreement. This is not an agreement with the neighboring countries, as you know the provisions in the partnership agree that the United States will not have permanent bases in Afghanistan and similarly that we will not launch offensive action against other states from Afghan soil," Crocker said in a press conference. (Tolo News)