Top diplomats of Iran, Pakistan discuss Afghanistan

By Syed Zafar Mehdi

TEHRAN (AA) - Iran's newly appointed foreign minister held talks with his Pakistani counterpart in Tehran on Thursday, focusing on developments in Afghanistan.

Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who arrived in the Iranian capital on Thursday morning, became the first foreign official to meet and hold talks with Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.

The meeting between the two foreign ministers came in the backdrop of the dramatic turn of events in neighboring Afghanistan, where the Taliban's stunning return recently led to the collapse of the US-backed government.

Iran and Pakistan share a long, porous border with Afghanistan and both countries together host around 6 million documented and undocumented Afghan refugees, according to the UN data.

In the wake of recent developments in the war-ravaged country and the likelihood of another mass exodus, Iranian and Pakistani officials have increased interactions to deal with the emerging situation.

The two top diplomats, in their first interaction, held wide-ranging deliberations on bilateral issues, with Afghanistan figuring on top of the agenda.

According to official sources, Amir-Abdollahian stressed the formation of an "inclusive government" in Kabul with the participation of all political and ethnic groups, while rejecting American presence.

He said peace and stability in Afghanistan affect the entire region and called for coordinated regional efforts to ensure "peaceful power transfer" in the country.

In his statement, Qureshi said the two officials had "extensive discussions on regional, security and a coordinated approach for Afghanistan," vowing to "work toward security, stability and an inclusive political settlement" in the country.

He further underlined that peace in Afghanistan will "ensure greater economic integration, progress and connectivity."

Qureshi also extended an invitation to his Iranian counterpart to visit Pakistan to build on strengthening bilateral relations.

Amir-Abdollahian, who formally assumed office on Wednesday following the confirmation from the parliament, in his first statement on Wednesday said his priority will be "neighbors and Asia," echoing what President Ebrahim Raeisi has repeatedly said he took office in June.

Qureshi also met with Raeisi, and they discussed bilateral and regional issues, including Afghanistan.

Raeisi in his remarks termed relations between the two countries "long-standing and people-centered." He said economic and trade relations between Islamabad and Tehran were "not satisfactory," vowing to further enhance them.