Zarif: U.S. decorates failure in Afghanistan as victory
TEHRAN (Basirat) : Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, in his Twitter account on Sunday, wrote that the U.S. has lost the war in Afghanistan but tries to hide it by resorting to media hue and cry.
"U.S. occupiers should've never invaded Afghanistan. But they did, and blamed everyone else for consequences. Now after 19 yrs of humiliation, U.S. has tendered its surrender. Whether in Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq or Yemen, U.S. is THE problem. It will leave—while leaving huge mess behind," Zarif underscored.
On February 29, the United States and Afghanistan's Taliban signed an agreement.
The agreement signed in Doha, Qatar, laying out a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan in return for various security commitments from the Taliban and a pledge to hold talks with the government in Kabul.
According to a joint declaration published by the U.S. and Afghan governments on February 29, the United States and NATO would withdraw all troops in Afghanistan within 14 months if the Taliban upheld the commitments made in the agreement.
The deal was signed by U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad and Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, leader of the political wing of the group.
In reaction, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said on Sunday that the United States was in no legal position to sign an agreement that determines the future of Afghanistan.
“The U.S. has no legal status for signing a peace deal or deciding the future of Afghanistan,” Mousavi said in a statement.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran regards U.S. measures as attempts to legitimize the presence of its forces in Afghanistan and it disagrees with them,” he said.
He said the Islamic Republic believes reaching a deal to establish sustainable peace in Afghanistan will be achieved only through Afghan-Afghan talks and with cooperation of that country’s political groups including Taliban and by taking into account the considerations of Afghanistan’s neighbors.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran, while respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Afghanistan, is ready to offer any help for establishment of peace, stability and security in Afghanistan, in line with its own national security strategy,” the spokesman said.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran has welcomed any development leading to peace and stability in Afghanistan,” Mousavi said, but he clarified that Iran only supports efforts that are led by the Afghans.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran believes that the presence of foreign forces in Afghanistan is illegal and is one of the main reasons behind war and insecurity in that country,” he said.
The spokesman also said the withdrawal of foreign forces was a prerequisite to reach peace and security in Afghanistan and any measure that enables the withdrawal of them will contribute to peace in that country.
He argued that the United Nations had the capacity to facilitate Afghan-Afghan talks and to oversee the implementation of any struck agreement.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran, while respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Afghanistan, is ready to offer any help for establishment of peace, stability, and security in Afghanistan, in line with its own national security strategy,” Mousavi remarked.
“We hope that a government takes office in Afghanistan which will have friendly and brotherly relations with its neighbors and will be able to root out terrorism,” he added.
Source:TehranTimes
