Asia

The spokesman for the Taliban says talks between the group and Iran are aimed at promoting peace and security in the region, adding that it is highly important for the group to keep its communication channel with Iran open.

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Foreign Affairs Abbas Araqchi and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani discussed the outcome of Iran-Taliban talks in Tehran last week, stressing the need for closer coordination between the Afghan and Iranian government for the efforts to restore peace to the war-torn country bear fruits. 

A spokesperson for the Taliban says the group has not agreed to attend Afghanistan peace negotiations in Saudi Arabia, and, hence, will not hold talks with US representatives in Jeddah.

Iranian President’s Chief of Staff Mahmoud Vaezi says Iran never interferes in Afghanistan’s internal affairs, and its talks with the Taliban were made in coordination with the Kabul government.

The US is seeking to restore the Taliban rule to the war-torn Afghanistan despite its earlier claims to eradicate the terror group in the region, says an op-ed of an Iranian paper.

Secretary of Supreme National Security Council of Iran Ali Shamkhani has welcomed the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan saying the nations in the region are counting seconds for the complete withdrawal of the US from West Asia.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in has hailed the historical relations between Seoul and Tehran saying that his country attaches significant importance to Iran as a reliable partner.

A senior Iranian official says the Islamic Republic is engaged in talks with the Taliban with the knowledge of the Afghan government adding that the talks will continue in the upcoming years.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has discussed issues of mutual interest with his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi in Tehran.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi will arrive in Tehran for an official visit on Monday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry announced.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi has expressed deep regret over a deadly tsunami in Indonesia's Sunda Strait, which has killed dozens of people and left many others missing and homeless.

A media delegation from Afghanistan recently sat for talks with Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi at the Ministry’s building in Tehran.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman has strongly condemned the recent attack on a border checkpoint in Pakistan’s Balochistan province which killed a number of Pakistani troops.

Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh deplored Pakistan’s inaction on completion of a gas pipeline under an agreement with Tehran, saying three foreign countries have put pressure on Pakistan to halt the project.

Iran has roundly dismissed claims of its links to a weapons cache discovered in Afghanistan’s central province of Ghazni, warning against attempts to harm growing relations between the two neighbors.

Acclaimed Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi has received the Lifetime Achievement Award of the 23rd International Film Festival of Kerala in India.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasssemi says upon the proposal of foreign minister and the approval of Iranian president, Mohammad Keshavarz Zadeh has been finally appointed the Islamic Republic’s new ambassador to China.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said the US has fomented wars and created terrorist groups in Asia to prevent the continent’s growth.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has called on Pakistan to make further efforts to pave the way for immediate release of seven Iranian border guards kept captive by terrorists in Pakistan.

An Iranian official says the recent terrorist attack in the port city of Chabahar in southeastern Iran was plotted by the enemies of Iran which seek to hamper foreign investment in Iran’s Makran coasts.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi has condemned the Thursday terrorist attack in the southeastern port city of Chabahar, saying the terrorists are supported by certain notorious centres in the region.

The chairman of the Asia-Pacific region of International Co-operative Alliance (ICA) says the alliance is seeking to stand by Iran amid the unilateral sanctions imposed on the county and do whatever in its power to facilitate Iran’s trade ties with the outside world.

The Iranian capital is to host the second edition of an international gathering of Parliament speakers from Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, Turkey, China and Russia on fight against terrorism and expansion of inter-regional ties.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has called on the international community to facilitate constructive dialogue between the Taliban group and the Afghan government in a bid to restore peace to the war-torn state.

An Iranian official says problems with Iran-China banking relations have been resolved and financial transactions will be resumed as of this weekend, when Beijing will restart its oil imports from the Islamic Republic.