Afghanistan’s Neighbors gather in Iran to discuss its Future

Tehran, 27 October 2021 (TDI): Officials of Afghanistan’s neighboring states have gathered in Tehran for a one-day conference. This conference is scheduled to discuss the situation in the Taliban-ruled country.

The Foreign Ministers of Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan met in Tehran. They are also joined by their counterparts from China and Russia via video links.

Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber:
Iranian First Vice President, Mohammad Mokhber inaugurated the meeting. Mokhber told the conference Afghanistan is facing an “epic humanitarian crisis”. It demands immediate action.

All seven Foreign Ministers welcomed the conference. They emphasized the necessity of continued cooperation by the neighboring states to avoid a collapse in Afghanistan. The civil war would have severe ramifications for the region and beyond.

Pakistan Foreign Minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi

Pakistan Foreign Minister, Shah Mahmood Qureshi emphasized that the International and regional community must remain engaged to intensify humanitarian assistance. Also, join hands multilaterally to prevail peace in region and enhance connectivity.

Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi

Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi expressed willingness for hosting the next meeting at a yet undecided time.
Yi said senior Taliban officials had told him during a recent meeting in Doha, that the group takes seriously the cause of the international community. Taliban are ready to take positive action. Yi and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian also called on the US to lift its unilateral sanctions affecting Afghanistan. They mentioned that the failing Afghan economy requires extensive support.

The conference also saw an emphasis on the need to form an inclusive government in Afghanistan. The participants further backed humanitarian relief for the population. According to the reports, about 90 percent of the population could fall below the poverty line by next year if the current situation continues.

Moreover,  support by international organizations, including the UN and the World Health Organization, was underlined by the participants to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. It was stressed that the UN needs to deliver Humanitarian relief to people. Kabul expects the Tehran conference to conclude with a positive result for incentivizing diplomatic ties between Afghanistan and Iran.