Ayatollah Khamenei received Abdullah Abdullah the Chief Executive of Afghanistan on Tuesday where the Leader of the Islamic Revolution hailed the initiative of national unity government as a key solution to Afghanistan’s political problems; “the Islamic Republic of Iran sees the security, peace and development of Afghanistan its own security and peace; the national unity government should however be along with unity and solidarity of Afghan leaders to bring about the real unity to the country,” he told in the meeting. “It is very important and valuable that different religious and ethnic groups live in a peaceful symbiosis; since long, Afghans have been known for their perseverance, patience, religiousness, and having a talent in literature; ethnic strife would definitely divide any nation.”
Ayatollah Khamenei recalled Iran’s strict opposition in 1980s to Soviet occupation of the country and also Iran’s supports for Mujahideen (veteran warriors) criticizing the policy of isolating Afghanistan’s Mujahideen in the past years. “Isolation of these warriors under such denominations as ‘warlords’ is inaccurate policy; in a country facing great threats and conspiracies, the public should foster the spirit of hero-worship in defending their country,” he added.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran now hosts 3 million Afghans along with standing beside Afghanistan; 16,000 Afghans study in our universities which is a great opportunity for Afghanistan; the government of Afghanistan should attract these students through incentives so that they return to serve their own country,” the Leader told Abdullah Abdullah adding that “there are great capacities for Iran and Afghanistan cooperation in economy, technology and science; Afghanistan has rich natural and human resources; Iran and Afghanistan should address and solve the issue of border rivers.”
On foreign interventions in Afghanistan, Ayatollah Khamenei said the lack of defensive measures sets grounds for foreign intervention; “we saw that the US intervention inflicted damage of unmeasurable scope killing many people. They would not abandon the country still either. The spirit of resistance of Afghan people is laudable in the face of foreign forces of the British, Soviet, and the US origin; this has been deeply rooted in history of the country that no occupationist force had survived in the country,” he lavished praise upon Afghanistan people.
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