Speaking in an interview with Afghanistan's TOLO News, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Seyyed Abbas Araghchi rejected the rumors on the presence of the Taliban in Iran, stressing that “Taliban does not have any office in Iran"
In response to the reporter’s question over Iran's contacts with the Taliban, Araghchi said that "we were in contact with the Taliban for some years in order to hear their opinions and express our opinions."
“Everyone knows who has built and supported the Taliban and who is still negotiating with them,” he said, in reaction to a question over Iran’s relationship with Taliban, adding that “It is an obvious fact that the United States, which considers itself an ally of Afghanistan, has got into negotiation, trade, and agreement with the Taliban in the absence of the Afghan government.”
“We have no such relationship with the Taliban.” Araghchi asserted.
The Iranian official also rejected the allegations that Iran is backing the Taliban by equipping it and told the reporter that “Don’t fall into the trap of those who are trying to represent Iran as the enemy of Afghanistan.”
Heading a politico-economic delegation, the Iranian deputy FM arrived in Kabul on Wednesday to hold talks with senior officials of the neighboring country.
Araghchi's visit to Kabul comes as Acting Minister of Afghanistan's Foreign Affairs Atmar visited Tehran at the head of a high-ranking political, economic, and security delegation on June 21-22.
He met Mohammad Haneef Atmar, the acting Minister of Afghanistan's Foreign Affairs, on Wednesday night, where he expressed Tehran’s readiness to help the Afghanistan government with advancing the process of peace talks in the country.
The two sides discussed the bilateral ties, peace process in Afghanistan, regional and international issues, problems arose due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
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