TEHRAN – Hassan Kazemi Qomi, Iran’s special envoy for Afghanistan, has said that forming a government inclusive of all ethnic groups in Afghanistan is the only solution to the current situation in the country. 

The Iranian president's special representative for Afghanistan, who had traveled to Islamabad on Friday morning to consult with Pakistani officials, published a report about his meetings on Twitter.

He wrote, “In continuation of the consultation with the countries of the region, yesterday, during a trip to the brotherly country of Pakistan, there was a discussion with the officials of this country about the important issues of Afghanistan and bilaterally in a very positive atmosphere.”

Kazemi Qomi added, “The common thread of the negotiations between the two sides was the fight against terrorism, the formation of an inclusive government, security and development in Afghanistan, and the creation of a stable and productive environment in the region centered on Afghanistan. There is scope for bilateral cooperation in Afghanistan.”

The Iranian envoy continued, “Both sides consider the participation of all Afghan ethnic groups in the government structure as one of the main ways out of the current situation. Discussing and exchanging opinions about the Tashkent summit was another topic of discussion. Security and sustainable development have been and is the policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran for its neighbors and the region.”

According to a Fars News report, Kazemi Qomi held talks with Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan, on the sidelines of his trip to Islamabad.

Last week, diplomatic sources told Pakistani newspaper The Nation that Iran’s special envoy would meet the Pakistani Prime Minister’s special assistant Muhammad Sadiq and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari at the Foreign Office. Issues related to border management between Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan and regional connectivity would come under discussion. Kazemi Qomi was expected to hold talks with Pakistan’s leaders on Afghan issue, The Nation said.

Bahador Aminian, Iran’s ambassador to Afghanistan, recently met with the Taliban’s acting foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi.

The Iranian ambassador considered the establishment of security and stability in Afghanistan in the interest of the region, stressing the need for Iran and Afghanistan to reach an agreement to settle border issues.

Hafeez Zia Ahmad, the spokesman for the Afghan foreign ministry, announced the meeting on Twitter. 

Zia Ahmad confirmed that the talks focused on the issue of migrants and Afghan detainees in Iran, fight against drugs, border issues, in addition to trade cooperation between the two countries, according to Al Alam.

Muttaqi expressed his satisfaction with the strengthening of relations between Tehran and Kabul, stressing that Afghanistan is making efforts to turn into a regional transit center and will participate in transporting commercial goods between Iran and Tajikistan to achieve this goal.

Zia Ahmad confirmed that the Iranian and Afghan sides discussed border issues in the meeting and reached an agreement in this regard.

In late June, Kazemi Qomi warned about a U.S. plot to foment sectarian and ethnic war in Afghanistan as infighting raged in Balkhab district between the Taliban and a Hazara warlord. 

The Iranian special envoy said on Twitter that infighting in Bakhlab is directed by multinational spy agencies. 

“The U.S.’s priority for creating targeted chaos in Afghanistan is to foment ethnic and sectarian war so that the Hazara and Tajiks are sacrificed on the altar of its plot and the Afghan crisis spills over into the region. War in Balkhab is preliminary American sedition,” Kazemi Qomi said on Twitter. 

He also called on the Afghan leaders to keep a distance from the conflict in Balkhab and condemn it. “The driving force behind the conflict is the multinational intelligence agencies,” he noted.