Zarif calls for taking clear stand on Afghanistan situation

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif made the remarks in a meeting with the visiting UN secretary general's special envoy for Afghanistan Jean Arnault in Tehran on Sunday.

According to a statement by the Iranian Foreign Ministry's spokesman, in the meeting, Zarif pointed to the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan and blamed foreign powers' wrong policies for the current situation in the country.

Meanwhile. the top Iranian diplomat declared Iran's readiness to assist and facilitate talks between the Afghan parties in order to advance the peace process in Afghanistan and said that the country's problems can only be resolved through inter-Afghan talks.

Iranian foreign minister added, "The international community must take a clear stand in support of a political solution to the crisis in Afghanistan and in condemnation of the violence and its implications."

The UN Secretary-General's special envoy for Afghanistan, for his part, stressed the importance of the role of the Islamic Republic of Iran and other countries in the region in advancing the peace process in Afghanistan.

Arnault underlined the importance of collective security with the participation of other states to resolve the current situation in Afghanistan, saying that collective cooperation can only de-escalate the volatile situation in Afghanistan.

He stressed the importance of inter-Afghan talks as the only way to get over the current situation in Afghanistan and considered his talks in Tehran as useful and important.

KI