TEHRAN — A former diplomat believes that Afghanistan’s neighbors must take the threat of Daesh in Afghanistan seriously.

In an interview with ISNA published on April 24, Mohsen Pakaein, the former head of the Afghanistan Headquarters at the Iranian Foreign Ministry, said, “The efforts of neighboring countries to stabilize Afghanistan have so far failed due to the Taliban's one-sided approach, and we hope that the Taliban will pay attention to this important issue and form an inclusive government.”

Regarding the developments in Afghanistan, particularly the occurrence of deadly explosions in recent weeks, the former diplomat noted that it was clear that one of the serious dangers and harms for the future of Afghanistan is the presence of the Takfiri terrorist groups, such as Daesh in this country.

“In fact, after the defeat of Daesh in Syria and Iraq, the United States brought the rest of them to Afghanistan with the green light of the then government and stationed them in the northern regions and indirectly supported them. The main goal of the United States was to create some kind of instability in Afghanistan so that it could achieve its goals,” he added. 

The former Iranian ambassador to Azerbaijan also stated that the series of explosions that have taken place in Afghanistan in recent weeks proves that Daesh is active in Afghanistan. 

He said the terrorist acts are a modus operandi of Daesh.

“Daesh may claim in the future the Taliban must make concessions so that they can stop their actions.” 

“Whether the explosions for whom Daesh is responsible or about the events that the terrorist group is silent about, proves the existence of Daesh in Afghanistan. The type of execution, methods and actions indicate that they are being done by this terrorist group,” the expert asserted. 

Unfortunately, Pakaein underscored, the current interim governing body in Afghanistan known as the Taliban has been indifferent to this issue and has not taken it seriously.

Even from the very beginning, the Taliban leaders stated that Daesh is not a serious threat to Afghanistan and it is exaggerated, he lamented.

“Today we see that the terrorist group's attacks in various provinces indicate that Daesh is active, and is consolidating its position and may soon make demands of the government. This will cause serious damage to Afghanistan,” the former diplomat underlined.

He noted that Daesh’s goal is to divide Afghanistan's ethnicities and religions and create a kind of instability. 

“This could be in a way that Daesh may claim in the future that in order to help Afghanistan, the Taliban must make concessions to Daesh so that they can stop their actions,” Pakaein warned. 

The former diplomat also stated that the totalitarian government of the Taliban continues its policies in a stubborn manner, regardless of other ethnicities, religions and influential groups, and seeks to strengthen its government and still refuses to form an inclusive government, while terrorist acts and the issue of refugees also haunt the economic and security problems of neighboring countries.

“This is all because the Taliban do not seek to establish an inclusive and stable government in Afghanistan, and is not yet recognized by the neighbors and the international community,” the expert on international affairs noted. 

In the end, he said, “Neighboring countries' efforts to help Afghanistan and stabilize it due to the Taliban's one-sided approach have not been successful and we hope that the Taliban will pay serious attention to this damage and see stability in the region and this country.”