TEHRAN – Iran has announced that all its diplomatic missions in Afghanistan are up and running after an attack by Afghan protestors raised question about the continuation of their work. 

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh has responded to questions from journalists about the activity of the Islamic Republic of Iran's embassy in Kabul and consulate generals in other Afghan cities.

Khatibzadeh said all the diplomatic missions of Iran in Afghanistan are open and continue working.

The spokesman however underlined that Iran expects the rulers of Afghanistan to responsibly provide security for Iranian diplomats and diplomatic missions in Afghanistan and protect them.

The remarks came after a statement was put out by the Iranian embassy of Iran in Kabul that all consular services of Iran’s diplomatic missions will be stopped until further notice. 

The development came after a group of Afghan protestors gathered in front of Iran’s consulate in Herat and the Iranian embassy in Kabul and hurled stones at the consulate in Herat. 

Iran condemned the incident and called on the Taliban to ensure the safety and security of its diplomatic missions. 

Following the attacks on the Iranian missions in Afghanistan, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian called the ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Kabul and the country’s consul general in Herat to make sure that all colleagues working in these missions are healthy.

In these telephone calls, the minister of foreign affairs expressed his dissatisfaction with the lack of necessary arrangements to ensure the security of the diplomatic missions, which is the duty of the host country.

Referring to his recent talks with the acting foreign minister of the interim Afghan government in China in late March, Amir Abdollahian stressed that the current governing body in Afghanistan is fully responsible for maintaining the security of the diplomatic missions of the Islamic Republic of Iran and should provide explanations about the attacks on the Iranian embassy in Kabul and consulate general in Herat.

The Iranian foreign minister added, “We should be careful about the conspiracy by common enemies in this regard,” according to the Iranian Foreign Ministry. 

Earlier, the Iranian Foreign Ministry director general for South Asia summoned the Afghan charge d'affaires in Tehran on Tuesday to strongly protest against the attacks on the embassy in Kabul and the Consulate General in Herat.

He reminded the Afghan charge d'affaires of the responsibility of governments in ensuring the security of diplomatic missions, and called for legal action against those who attacked Iran’s missions.

The director general for South Asia also informed the Afghan chargé d'affaires that the consular sections of the missions of Iran in Afghanistan have ceased their activities until further notice so that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan provides assurances that the Iranian missions are fully secured.

On Wednesday, a group of Afghan people gathered at the front of the Iranian embassy in Kabul to condemn the attacks and show solidarity with Iran.