Taliban: Tehran meeting will serve Afghanistan interests

October 29, 2021 - 22:8

TEHRAN — The Taliban have praised the Wednesday meeting of the foreign ministers of six countries neighboring Afghanistan in Tehran, saying it will be in favor of Afghanistan.

Taliban deputy spokesman Ahmadullah Wasiq, responding to a request from foreign ministers of neighboring countries for formation of an inclusive government in Afghanistan, said that the current cabinet is inclusive and that there is a possibility of a change in the cabinet, IRNA reported.

Wasiq added: "We support this meeting, and this meeting was positive and in favor of Afghanistan."

According to TOLOnews, the foreign ministers of Afghanistan's neighboring countries plus Russia expressed concern over the complex security, political and humanitarian situation in Afghanistan at the summit.

Although the final statement did not mention anything about the release of the blocked monies of Afghanistan, Iranian Foreign Minister Amir Abdollahian said that the participants in the meeting also emphasized the release of Afghanistan’s assets.

"One of the most important issues that was discussed in our meeting was emphasizing that the property and assets of the Afghan people should be released in the foreign banks on the eve of the cold season, because employees have not been paid in Afghanistan for three months and there are very bad economic conditions there," Amir Abdollahian stated. 

The participants at the summit called for resolving the differences between Afghans through dialogue and called on the Taliban to fulfill their obligations vis-a-vis the international community and not allow neighboring countries to be threatened from Afghanistan.

The foreign ministers also called on international organizations and the international community to provide the necessary assistance to Afghanistan to prevent the deterioration of the economic situation and the increase of Afghan migration to neighboring countries.

China is scheduled to host the next round of meetings of foreign ministers of countries neighboring Afghanistan in 2022. Iran's special envoy for Afghanistan has said that the Taliban will be invited to the meeting in China.