صراط عشق صراط عشق
TEHRAN (Dispatches) — Iran’s Foreign Ministry said on Monday provocative measures taken to torpedo relations between Iran and Afghanistan over a recent border incident involving Afghan nationals will fail to undermine the two countries’ close ties.
“Iran and Afghanistan, as two brotherly nations, have strong, deep-rooted relations” based on common historical and cultural bonds, the ministry tweeted, adding, “no ill-intended foreign provocation can undermine” them.
Certain sections of the media in Afghanistan and outside have been trying to take advantage of a recent deadly incident along the two countries’ joint border which left several Afghan nationals dead, to scuttle friendly relations between Tehran and Kabul.
Afghanistan’s foreign ministry said in a statement last month that an inquiry had been launched to assess claims that dozens of Afghans trying to enter Iran from Herat were beaten and pushed into the Harirud River by Iranian border guards.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi responded that the incident had in fact taken place on the Afghan side of the border and Iran’s border guards had no part in it.
On Saturday, Robert A. Destro, who serves as the U.S. assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights, and labor, posted a tweet claiming that the Iranian police had been involved in incidents affecting Afghan refugees.
“Look who’s talking about the rights of refugees! A government whose campaign motto was to ‘build a wall’ and has been repeatedly condemned for its cruel border policies (e. g. separating migrant children from their parents), is lecturing the world about” refugees, Iran’s Foreign Ministry responded Monday.
For decades, it said, Iran has hosted millions of Afghan refugees “who have fled the war & clashes that were ignited by U.S. meddling and invasion”.
“We’ll continue to support our Afghan brothers and sisters during their hardships, and again we call on U.S. to end its destabilizing presence in our region,” the Iranian ministry added.
Afghan’s acting Foreign Minister Muhammad Hanif Atmar, on a two-day visit to Tehran, held talks with Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani and Foreign Minister Muhammad Javad Zarif on Sunday.Shamkhani underlined the importance of finalizing a comprehensive cooperation agreement between the two countries, saying the strategic document would lead to major developments in their relations and further strengthen historical bonds between them.
Atmar, for his part, hailed Iran’s all-out support for the Afghan government and nation, saying Kabul is determined to further expand relations with Tehran.
He also regretted “certain unsavory measures” taken by the ill-wishers of the two countries as he called on the two countries to settle their issues through dialog.
“We stress the need for resolving issues that exist between the two countries through dialogue and tolerance, and condemn any negative statements and actions against the Islamic Republic of Iran,” he said.
Atmar said one of the Afghan government’s foreign policy priorities is to continue cordial relations with Iran, stressing that no third party would be allowed to damage them.
“Iran and Afghanistan, as two brotherly nations, have strong, deep-rooted relations” based on common historical and cultural bonds, the ministry tweeted, adding, “no ill-intended foreign provocation can undermine” them.
Certain sections of the media in Afghanistan and outside have been trying to take advantage of a recent deadly incident along the two countries’ joint border which left several Afghan nationals dead, to scuttle friendly relations between Tehran and Kabul.
Afghanistan’s foreign ministry said in a statement last month that an inquiry had been launched to assess claims that dozens of Afghans trying to enter Iran from Herat were beaten and pushed into the Harirud River by Iranian border guards.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi responded that the incident had in fact taken place on the Afghan side of the border and Iran’s border guards had no part in it.
On Saturday, Robert A. Destro, who serves as the U.S. assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights, and labor, posted a tweet claiming that the Iranian police had been involved in incidents affecting Afghan refugees.
“Look who’s talking about the rights of refugees! A government whose campaign motto was to ‘build a wall’ and has been repeatedly condemned for its cruel border policies (e. g. separating migrant children from their parents), is lecturing the world about” refugees, Iran’s Foreign Ministry responded Monday.
For decades, it said, Iran has hosted millions of Afghan refugees “who have fled the war & clashes that were ignited by U.S. meddling and invasion”.
“We’ll continue to support our Afghan brothers and sisters during their hardships, and again we call on U.S. to end its destabilizing presence in our region,” the Iranian ministry added.
Afghan’s acting Foreign Minister Muhammad Hanif Atmar, on a two-day visit to Tehran, held talks with Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani and Foreign Minister Muhammad Javad Zarif on Sunday.Shamkhani underlined the importance of finalizing a comprehensive cooperation agreement between the two countries, saying the strategic document would lead to major developments in their relations and further strengthen historical bonds between them.
Atmar, for his part, hailed Iran’s all-out support for the Afghan government and nation, saying Kabul is determined to further expand relations with Tehran.
He also regretted “certain unsavory measures” taken by the ill-wishers of the two countries as he called on the two countries to settle their issues through dialog.
“We stress the need for resolving issues that exist between the two countries through dialogue and tolerance, and condemn any negative statements and actions against the Islamic Republic of Iran,” he said.
Atmar said one of the Afghan government’s foreign policy priorities is to continue cordial relations with Iran, stressing that no third party would be allowed to damage them.
