TEHRAN - Abdulla Abdullah, the head of Afghanistan’s peace council, plans to visit Iran after making a visit Islamabad, Pakistan.

He also plans to make trips to New Delhi, Ankara, Beijing and Tashkent to win support for Afghan peace talks.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has held constant telephone conversations with his Afghan counterpart Mohammed Haneef Atmar expressing Tehran’s support for peace talks between warring sides in Afghanistan.

The Afghan talks in the Qatari capital Doha are aimed at ending 19 years of war in Afghanistan.

Some sources in the Afghan government say that Abdullah plans to personally take the initiative and lead regional diplomacy surrounding the talks between the government and the Taliban.

Some have cited worries about the Afghan talks as the reasons behind scheduled tours by Abdullah.

In a telephone conversation with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan has said his country backs ceasefire and peace in Afghanistan.

According to Dunya News, Abdullah will be visiting Islamabad on a three-day visit from Monday.
According to Foreign Office spokesperson, he will be accompanied by a high-level delegation including prominent members of Afghanistan’s High Council for National Reconciliation (HCNR).

PA/PA