TEHRAN – A sitting MP who formerly served as Iran’s ambassador to Afghanistan has assessed the Tehran summit on the developments in Afghanistan as a show of strength by the countries in the region against the United States, saying the collective decisions made in the Tehran summit could be in the interest of the Afghan people and the region.

Foreign Ministers of countries neighboring Afghanistan met in Tehran on Wednesday. The conference, the second of its kind since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, was intended to coordinate policies for a peaceful and secure Afghanistan which would represent the views of all ethnoreligious groups.

"The Islamic Republic plays a key role in the developments in the region, and its presence in such regional equations contributes to the stability and peace of the region," Fada-Hossein Maleki told IRNA on Wednesday ahead of the start of the summit.

Evaluating the developments in Afghanistan as important for Iran's security, the former ambassador to Kabul stated that the security of Iran and other countries neighboring Afghanistan are deeply interlinked to developments in Afghanistan and the Tehran summit was being held to address the concerns of Afghanistan's neighbors.

Maleki who sits on the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee of the Iranian parliament added: "Considering the demographic and ethnic composition of Afghanistan, the neighboring countries agree that in any political change in this country, a major agreement should be formed between the different ethnic groups in forming the government of Afghanistan."

Maleki underlined that the countries of the region eagerly want to see an inclusive government in Afghanistan.

The MP added there is a consensus in the region and the larger world on the need to have an inclusive government in Afghanistan based on the people’s votes and such a demand is clear in the remarks of officials in the region and beyond.

Elsewhere in his remarks, the MP pointed out that the countries that had influence over the Taliban should encourage this group to form an inclusive government with the involvement of all Afghans.

"We hope the Tehran summit will make these countries take measures in this direction because this idea will ultimately benefit the stability and security of the region," remarked Maleki, who represents the people of Zahedan, the capital of the southeastern border province of Sistan-Balouchestan. 

He said that the Tehran summit could influence the process of forming an inclusive government in Afghanistan, noting that the Taliban could not close the “windows of regional and international neighborliness”.

"Afghanistan is a strategically important country and its relations with its neighbors and the international community must be defined in accordance with the customs and rules of the international system. Therefore, accepting the collective decisions of the Tehran summit can be in the interest of the Taliban and the Afghan people," the former diplomat highlighted.

Noting that instability in Afghanistan and the larger region is the result of the irresponsible presence of the Americans in the region, he said the Americans left Afghanistan in a “very tragic situation” through their irresponsible departure and therefore have no right to comment on Afghanistan and other countries in the region.

Maleki went on to say: "Neighboring countries must decide on the issue of Afghanistan and guarantee the stability of the region. No foreign power can provide security in the region."

The MP said the priority of the Tehran summit is to help restore security and stability in Afghanistan and asking the rulers to uphold the rule of law in the future. 

"In addition, countries of the region must force the United States to be held accountable for the 20-year massacre of Afghans. This issue can be one of the demands of the countries participating in the Tehran summit," the MP said before the Wednesday meeting started.