Iran has welcomed talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan in a bid to resolve differences and maintain peace and stability in the region.
“We have always supported bilateral and multilateral talks between regional countries in order to find solutions to problems and achieve peace and stability,” said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Seyyed Abbas Araqchi on Wednesday.
The Islamic Republic believes that “any initiative or roadmap imposed from outside of the region will not only fail to meet the interests of regional countries but also lead to the further complexity of [regional] crises,” Araqchi added.
The Iranian diplomat expressed concern over the issues between Afghanistan and Pakistan as Iran’s immediate neighbors, saying, “The Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to provide any assistance in line with the resolution of these problems.”
On July 28, the Afghan Foreign Ministry announced that President Hamid Karzai would soon visit Pakistan in order to improve relations between the two neighboring states.
The announcement came after a national and foreign affairs advisor to Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif visited Kabul to formally invite the Afghan president to Islamabad.
Kabul and Islamabad blame each other for the Taliban violence plaguing both countries and accuse one another of supporting militants to maintain their safe havens along the border.
A dispute between Afghan and Pakistani border guards left an Afghan police dead and two Pakistani soldiers wounded in May.
The borderline is over 2,600 kilometers long, and militants often cross over, carrying out attacks in both countries.
NTJ/HH
string(2355) "[{"id":"1450993","sort":"3066967","contenttypeid":"21","pic":"/2013/03/01/alalam_634977688928280794_25f_4x3.jpg","title":"Iran, Pakistan to start laying peace pipeline"} ,{"id":"1483057","sort":"3066975","contenttypeid":"21","pic":"/2013/06/10/alalam_635064807397961797_25f_4x3.jpg","title":"Taliban behead two Afghan boys: Officials"} ,{"id":"1483407","sort":"3066977","contenttypeid":"21","pic":"/2013/06/11/alalam_635065853968806078_25f_4x3.jpg","title":"Suicide attack kills 17 near US embassy in Kabul"} ,{"id":"1484948","sort":"3066980","contenttypeid":"21","pic":"/2013/06/16/alalam_635069788133045088_25f_4x3.jpg","title":"Militants kill 14 female students in Pakistan"} ,{"id":"1485604","sort":"3066976","contenttypeid":"21","pic":"/2013/06/18/alalam_635071509787942313_25f_4x3.jpg","title":"3 killed, dozens hurt in Kabul blast"} ,{"id":"1486186","sort":"3066974","contenttypeid":"21","pic":"/2013/06/20/alalam_635073116564462406_25f_4x3.jpg","title":"Karzai boycotts US-Taliban talks in Qatar"} ,{"id":"1486938","sort":"3066968","contenttypeid":"21","pic":"/2013/06/22/alalam_635075197575204177_25f_4x3.jpg","title":"Iran decries terrorist attacks in Pakistan"} ,{"id":"1487233","sort":"3066973","contenttypeid":"21","pic":"/2013/06/23/alalam_635076142812996941_25f_4x3.jpg","title":"Afghanistan wary of Taliban’s embassy-like office"} ,{"id":"1487746","sort":"3066972","contenttypeid":"21","pic":"/2013/06/25/alalam_635077533985936559_25f_4x3.jpg","title":"Taliban attack Afghan presidential palace"} ,{"id":"1489447","sort":"3066978","contenttypeid":"21","pic":"/2013/08/05/alalam_635112961625112373_25f_4x3.jpg","title":"Over a dozen killed in Pakistan car bombing"} ,{"id":"1490250","sort":"3066971","contenttypeid":"21","pic":"/2013/07/02/alalam_635083646703006689_25f_4x3.jpg","title":"7 killed in Kabul over Taliban attack"} ,{"id":"1497270","sort":"3066970","contenttypeid":"21","pic":"/2013/07/22/alalam_635100845137330604_25f_4x3.jpg","title":"Taliban lures children to become suicide bombrs"} ,{"id":"1498841","sort":"3066979","contenttypeid":"21","pic":"/2013/07/26/alalam_635104716352540600_25f_4x3.jpg","title":"At least 53 killed, 197 wounded in Pakistan blasts"} ,{"id":"1500057","sort":"3066969","contenttypeid":"21","pic":"/2013/07/30/alalam_635107765551437980_25f_4x3.jpg","title":"Hundreds escape in Taliban jail break"} ]"