Iran stands by Afghan government, people in boosting peace, security
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says the Islamic Republic's policy is to expand fraternal and friendly relations with all neighbors, including Afghanistan, expressing support for the promotion of peace, stability and security in the war-ravaged country.
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Iran always stands by the Afghan government and nation in the promotion of peace, stability and security in the country, Rouhani said in a phone call with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Monday.
Iran's president hailed a power-sharing deal between Ghani and his rival, Abdullah Abdullah, and expressed hope that peace, stability and security would be reinforced in the country through joint efforts of all the government bodies and the Afghanistan High Peace Council (HPC).
Ghani and Abdullah, a former official and a rival to the incumbent president, signed a power-sharing deal on May 17 in a bid to put an end to a months-long feud that plunged the country into a political crisis.
In phone calls to Ghani and Abdullah on the same day that the deal was reached, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif welcomed the progress made in the national reconciliation process among all political groups in Afghanistan.
During his talks with the two Afghan political leaders, Zarif assured them that the Islamic Republic is ready to consolidate unity among all groups in Afghanistan.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Rouhani reiterated Iran's policy to enhance cooperation with all neighboring states and said, "We consider the promotion of stability and security in Afghanistan in line with the promotion of our own stability and security, and we believe that differences between [political] groups will be resolved through principled negotiations, and we will always stand by the Afghan government and people along this path," the Iranian president pointed out.
Rouhani also pointed to Iran's measures and achievements in the fight against the deadly coronavirus pandemic, noting that the country has been offering free health care and other medical services to the Afghan refugees and will continue to render such services to them.
The Afghan president, for his part, pointed to Iran's constructive role in boosting stability and security in the region and called for Iran's support for the peace and dialog process in Afghanistan.
Ghani also hailed further development of relations between Tehran and Kabul in various fields and expressed hope that the two countries' officials would work towards further strengthening of relations.
