Iran attends quadrilateral meeting on Afghanistan

Araghchi, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, and Pakistani Defense Minister Muhammad Asif held talks for the third time on the situation in Afghanistan.

The meeting was held on the sidelines of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly on Friday.

In the quadrilateral talks, the Iranian, Chinese, Russian and Pakistani officials reviewed the latest situation in Afghanistan and issued a statement with 19 points.

Araghchi strongly criticized the destructive role of the US and NATO in Afghanistan and stressed that Washington and other NATO members must be held accountable for the current disastrous situation in Afghanistan, the Iranian Foreign Ministry’s website reported.

He then pointed to the consequences of the US’s 20-year occupation of Afghanistan, saying the US intervention and its long-term military presence in Afghanistan has brought nothing but misery and insecurity.

He added the US intervention in Afghanistan took the lives of a large number of innocent Afghans, damaged their health and increased terrorism, drugs, corruption, poverty and displacement.

Araghchi stated that the US and its allies left Afghanistan in 2021 in disgrace but they left behind chaos for Afghanistan and its neighbors.

It should not be forgotten that the US and NATO allies are responsible for many problems with which Afghanistan and its neighbors grapple today, the Iranian minister said.

He further expressed serious concern about the economic and humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, saying terrorist groups, especially Daesh offshoots, are taking advantage of the current situation to gain more influence.

He stressed that Iran, as a close neighbor of Afghanistan, has been severely affected by the flow of refugees and illegal immigrants, adding that since the withdrawal of the US in August 2021, the massive migration from Afghanistan has put enormous pressure on Iran while the nation is under illegal sanctions.

Iran hosts more than six million Afghans and spends over 10 billion dollars annually to meet their needs, Araghchi stated, saying the international community must provide continuous support to the main host countries such as Iran.

“That humanitarian aid for refugees must be impartial and unconditional and without political interference,” he added.

The Iranian minister also criticized the unilateral US sanctions that have adversely affected efforts to get humanitarian aid to Afghan refugees, saying this action is inhumane and illegal.

The frozen assets of Afghanistan must be unlocked unconditionally, and sanctions must not hinder its economic recovery, he underlined.

Araghchi warned against the security situation in Afghanistan and said terrorist groups like Daesh and al-Qaeda threaten not only the people of Afghanistan but also the security of the region.

The neighboring countries cannot allow terrorism and violent extremism to take root in Afghanistan, he noted.

The Iranian minister emphasized the need for cooperation with the Afghan authorities in fighting terrorism, adding, “We must step up our efforts to this end and form a united front against these destructive forces. Our message must be clear: Terrorism has no place in Afghanistan and the broader region”.

He also stressed the need for a common commitment to improve humanitarian, social and economic conditions in Afghanistan, noting, “We must not let political motives keep us from providing vital aid to the people of Afghanistan… our Western partners must understand that depriving an entire population of their basic needs will not promote human rights and will not improve the situation of women and girls.”

Araghchi finally voiced Iran’s readiness to play a more active role in the reconstruction of Afghanistan and called for more cooperation on the part of the international community in fighting drugs, terrorism and tackling the issue of migrants.