TEHRAN – Iran has appointed a new ambassador to neighboring Afghanistan after the current envoy’s tenure came to an end. 

Iran’s presidential envoy to Afghanistan Hassan Kazemi Qomi will replace Bahador Aminian, the current Iranian ambassador to Afghanistan whose three-year tenure has come to an end, according to IRIB News, the official news agency of the Iranian state broadcaster. 

Qomi will retain his current job simultaneously with his new role. 

The ambassador turnover has come with rumors that Aminian is being changed as a result of documents hacked from Fars News in which he inveighed against the Taliban. The Iranian embassy in Afghanistan has rejected the rumors, saying that the change has nothing to do with the leaked documents. 

Qomi has recently proposed the formation of a joint committee with the Afghan authorities with the aim of jointly combatting terrorism.

In comments after attending the Moscow format meeting on Afghanistan, Kazemi Qomi said it is necessary for Iran and Afghanistan to set up a joint security and information exchange committee to counter terrorist threats.

He also urged that the neighbors of Afghanistan should provide assistance to Afghanistan within the framework of a coordination or security committee.

The neighbors of Afghanistan can cooperate with Kabul by training the country’s security forces, exchanging information, and providing equipment, he added, according to a Tasnim report.

Kazemi Qomi had said earlier that Tehran is planning to hold a big international meeting on Afghanistan at the level of foreign ministers.

Speaking at the Moscow format meeting on Afghanistan, Kazemi Qomi said, “Iran is planning to hold a big meeting on Afghanistan at the level of foreign ministers in the near future in order to contribute to the improvement and stability of Afghanistan.”