Spokesman for Afghan President:

Afghanistan forbids its soil to be used against neighbors

TEHRAN (defapress) – Spokesman for Afghan President Seyyed Shah Hossein Mortazavi in an interview with defapress said that his country will not allow anyone to use its soil to carry out aggression against neighboring countries.

News ID: 66531

Date: 18 October 2017 - 18:30

"We assure all countries especially neighboring states that Afghanistan will not allow anyone to use its territory against neighboring countries,” he emphasized in an interview with defapress.

He described the geography of Afghanistan as a place for securing interests of regional countries and stated, "Afghanistan can connect Iran to the People’s Republic of China.”

The relationship between Afghanistan and US is a predefined strategic relationship, he said, adding "in this regard, we assure all regional countries explicitly that Afghanistan’s land will not be used against any other country, especially neighboring states.”

Mortazavi pointed out that most Afghan political analysts believe that Trump’s strategy in Afghanistan can fuel war in the region more than the past and the United States intends to strike a blow against Iran and Russia using this strategy under the pretext of fighting against terrorism. In general, United States plans to weaken these countries such as Iran and Russia politically, militarily and economically.

Despite these worries, he assured all regional countries specially neighboring states that Afghanistan will not allow other countries to use its land for waging military action against neighboring states.

Elsewhere in his remarks, he said, "the relationship between Afghanistan and US is a predefined relationship and US strategy has settled all ambiguities that have emerged from the US action in fighting against terrorism that existed in the past.”

In the same direction, Mortazavi urged other countries to understand the situation in Afghanistan and cooperate with this country in order to fight terrorism comprehensively.

"We urge other countries to establish very sound cooperation and collaboration with the government of Afghanistan wholeheartedly,” he said, adding "unfortunately, certain countries are trying to secure their political interests through establishing contact with the terrorist groups.”

He requested other countries to cut cooperation with terrorist groups, because, getting contact with terrorist groups will not help solve problems facing ahead.

Geography of Afghanistan will be a place for securing interests of regional countries, he reiterated.

Afghanistan intends to bond countries of the region in the fields of energy transfer, trade, business and transportation.

As Afghanistan was connected to Chabahar, the Afghan government intends to connect major countries of the region to one another through Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and other Central Asian countries, Mortazavi highlighted.

On the behalf of government of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Mortazavi addressed all countries of the region that Afghanistan’s policy is the policy of regional cooperation based on securing collective interests merely and is against political unrest not only in the region but also in the whole world.

He also reiterated that Afghanistan will fight against countries that are carrying out hostile activities against this country.

Mortazavi further noted that gates of peace are open but the Afghan government will confront any country that wages war against defenseless people.

Afghanistan is ready to negotiate with staunch supporters of peace and security in the whole world, he said, adding "Afghanistan will fight with those who commit crimes, massacre people, attack holy places and mosques and oppress defenseless fellow countrymen, Spokesman for Afghan President Seyyed Shah Hossein Mortazavi concluded.