TEHRAN, Jul. 09 (MNA)– The United States has used the so-called fight against terrorism as a pretext to expand its goals and invade Afghanistan, Director-General of the Department of South Asian Affairs of the Iranian Foreign Ministry said.

Rasoul Mousavi made the remarks in an IRIB TV program while speaking about the latest developments in Afghanistan and US military defeat in this country.

Americans turned Afghanistan into a ground for testing all kinds of weapons, but they failed there, Rasoul Mousavi said.

When the defeat of US troops in Afghanistan became apparent to decision-makers, the White House sought to rescue itself by some plots such as troops withdrawal and holding talks with the Taliban in Doha, he added.

Today tensions have been increased and the United States seeks to escalate the civil war in Afghanistan, he said, adding that the US resorts to these tensions so as to return to Afghanistan.

Saying that the Afghan nation must make effort to prevent a civil war, he stressed that a civil war is to the detriment of the Afghan people and neighboring countries.

The Islamic Republic of Iran has always sought to bring Afghans to the table of negotiation, Mousavi said and stressed that Iran supports the official structure of this country.

Referring to Thursday's meeting of intra-Afghan talks in Tehran, he criticized that the US, instead of holding negotiations between the Afghans, made a security and strategic alliance with the Afghan government, and held negotiations with the country's armed opposition.

Peace belongs to Afghanistan and the most important thing is that negotiation should be held between Afghans.

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