Iran’s Foreign Minister in Talks With Former Afghan Leaders
Iran’s Top Envoy Had Phone Calls With Afghan Political Leaders
(Bloomberg) -- Iran’s new Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian had phone calls with Abdullah Abdullah and former President Hamid Karzai to discuss the situation in Afghanistan, as the Taliban unveiled a government following their takeover of the country.
Abdullah Abdullah, chairman of Afghanistan’s High Council for National Reconciliation, called on Iran to provide humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. In a separate call on Tuesday, Amirabdollahian told Karzai that the new Afghan government must involve all of the country’s factions.
Iran would keep its border crossings with Afghanistan open to “ease the current situation and facilitate trade,” Amirabdollahian told Karzai, who along with Abdullah has been involved in negotiations with the Taliban on how to govern the country.
Iran had previously said it would prevent Afghan refugees from entering via the countries’ 900-kilometer (560-mile) frontier, which was in turn a reversal of an earlier pledge to let in those escaping from the Taliban.
Afghan officials sought an increase in fuel supplies from Iranian traders after the Taliban seized power.
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