TEHRAN - Hossein Naghavi Hosseini, the spokesman for the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, has said that the Afghan government must be vigilant about the enemies’ plots which seek to weaken relations between the two countries.

“Iran and Afghanistan are two neighboring countries that have relations and old affinities. In the past 40 years after the victory of the Islamic Revolution, Iran has clearly supported Afghanistan and has hosted many Afghan migrants. They enjoy all facilities the same as the Iranians citizens. No country have treated migrants (so well) like Iran,” he told ISNA in an interview published on Wednesday.

Afghan news media have reported that about 50 Afghan migrants crossing into Iran illegally had been beaten and thrown into a river.

Naghavi Hosseini said the incident occurred on the Afghan part of the border.

“Our citizens and forces cannot do anything in Afghanistan’s soil. So, we know nothing about details of the incident. Investigation is required in this regard,” he said.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry has rejected as a “bitter joke” a claim by the United States that Iranian guards were involved in the tragic deaths of Afghan migrants near the border.

“Iran has strong ties with Afghanistan & leads the way to help Afghan leaders for inclusive Gvt. What happened to Afghan nationals in Herat is tragic & unrelated to Iran, but U.S. regime’s allegation against Iran is a ‘bitter joke’,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement published via Twitter on May 5.

“The (US) regime is a war criminal in Afghanistan & state sponsor of terrorism across the world,” the statement added.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif held a phone conversation with acting Afghan foreign minister Mohammad Haneef Atmar on Sunday discussing the tragic incident.

According to the Afghan Foreign Ministry, the two foreign ministers exchanged views on ways to start “joint investigation” into the incident. 

They also agreed to hold joint sessions if necessary.

Atmar said his government has sent an investigation team to Herat and began studying the incident at the site.

Zarif also assured the Afghan side that Iran will soon form a team to probe the incident at the site. 

The two foreign ministers also agreed that if necessary the investigation teams from the two countries can hold meetings at the site of the incident and cities of Mashhad and Herat.

NA/PA