Iran, Afghanistan urge need for continued fight against terrorism

Iran’s foreign minister and head of Afghanistan’s High Council for National Reconciliation have discussed the ongoing developments in the war-hit country, stressing the necessity to continue the anti-terror fight.

On Sunday, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian called Afghanistan’s Abdullah Abdullah via phone, discussing with him the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan

During the conversation, both sides stressed the need to fight the ominous phenomenon of terrorism and help establish a broad-based government representing all ethnic and political groups in Afghanistan.

The Afghan official congratulated Iran’s foreign minister on his appointment to the post and thanked the Islamic Republic’s principled positions in defense of the Afghan people.

Abdullah Abdullah also called for Iran’s humanitarian aid for his country.

The two sides stressed that it is only for the Afghan people to make final decisions on the fate of their country.

The Taliban are poised to run Afghanistan again 20 years after they were removed from power by American invading forces. The Taliban intensified offensives and rapidly overran major cities in recent weeks as the United States started withdrawal of its forces from Afghanistan.

The Taliban took control of Afghanistan on August 15, forcing the US-allied Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to flee the country. The takeover also prompted evacuation of thousands of Afghan and foreign civilians via the Kabul airport, while foreign troops also used the airfield to pull out. 

In a Sunday phone call with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, Iran’s President Ebrahim Raeisi pointed to the current situation in Afghanistan following withdrawal of foreign forces, saying that the US made a “big mistake” in Afghanistan and 20 years of the country’s occupation brought nothing to the Afghan people.

World must hold US to account for supporting Daesh, new terrorism: President Raeisi

Iran’s president says the world must hold the US to account for supporting terrorism fomented by Daesh Takfiri group.

"Under the current circumstances, all should help establish an inclusive government in Afghanistan representing all groups, and we must allow the people of Afghanistan to decide their own destiny,” Raeisi stated.

The Taliban claim on Sunday to have advanced deep into Afghanistan's last remaining province and holdout of resistance against the group, the Panjshir Valley, while opposition fighters say heavy battle continues in the province.

Taliban claim deep advances into Panjshir Valley, opposition vows stiff resistance

Taliban have claimed to advance deep into the last holdout province of Panjshir , while the opposition fighters vow stiff resistance .

Taliban officials said that overnight advances had brought several days of fighting to Anaba, an area close to the provincial capital, Bazarak.

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