TEHRAN – An Iranian diplomat says Europe should not tether sending humanitarian aid to Afghanistan to its regional affiliations.

Iran’s special representative for Afghanistan, Hassan Kazemi Qomi, said on Saturday that he has engaged in talks with the European Union's special representative on Afghanistan matters.

He disclosed the details regarding the meeting on his online platform. He wrote, “Pivotal emphasis was placed on the necessity for Europe to refrain from tying humanitarian aid to its relationship with the regional alliances if it genuinely aims to support the people of Afghanistan.”

The Taliban stormed back to power in August 2021 after making sweeping advances across the country, which triggered a messy withdrawal by the United States-led foreign forces as well as the rapid collapse of the country's security forces.

The U.S. invaded Afghanistan in October 2001 following the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, despite the fact that no Afghan national was involved in the attacks. Hundreds of thousands of Afghans died in the U.S. war of aggression on the country.

After its withdrawal, Washington imposed sanctions on Afghanistan and blocked its assets.

Foreign aid has also declined dramatically since then and the country's key central bank assets have been seized by the United States, compounding one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.