Following is an interview with Eshaq Gilani, an Afghan religious national figure, on the Herat explosion and the attack on the Iranian Consulate:

Q: Mr. Gilani, you know there was an explosion in Herat, Afghanistan, and after the incident a group of people attacked the Iranian Consulate in this city and set it on fire. What is your viewpoint on the issue?

A: I believe this is not the first explosion in Afghanistan, nor will it be the last incident. There will probably be further explosions in the future. All these incidents verify our viewpoint that there is no legal, elected government in Afghanistan. This explosion also contradicts the Taleban claims of stability and calm in Afghanistan. It is a pity that the Taleban attacked the Iranian consulate and destroyed it after this explosion. This is against Afghan customs and traditions and it also violates the laws governing international relations and diplomatic principles. It is inhumane to set a man's house on fire. We have received news that the Taleban not only attacked the Iranian Consulate but also the mosques and our Shiite brethren's sacred places.

The disunity and division we see today between the Sunni and Shiite communities in Afghanistan was not observed before the Taleban came to power. Of course, there were conflicts between the parties, like the skirmishes between the Islamic Party and the Islamic Society of Afghanistan and the fight between the Islamic Party and the Taleban, but despite the enemies' efforts to call it a war between the Sunni and Shiite sects, they failed.

Q: You pointed out that previously there were no major conflicts between the Sunnis and Shiites and now the Taleban want to add this problem to other problems of the Afghan people. Please tell us who is behind these plots?

A: Whoever is influencing the Taleban to act in this way is the enemy of the Afghan people. They want to promote corruption and ethnic division, but I ask the Shiite and Sunni brethren to keep cool, to maintain their unity and to beware of these conspiracies.

Q: You surely know that after the explosion, one of the Taleban authorities, Kheirkhah, accused Iran of having had a hand in this incident, leading to the attack on the Iranian Consulate. What is your view on this?

A: You see, hasty decisions and summary justice are not correct. These are the actions of people who know nothing of governance and law. This charge is a wrong and illegal action, and it is contrary to the laws governing relations between countries.