Tehran: Taliban Foreign Minister Mullah Amir Khan Mottaki arrived in Iran on Saturday to discuss with Iranian officials the plight of Afghan refugees and the growing economic crisis in war-torn Afghanistan. It should be noted that Iran, like other countries, has not recognized the new Taliban-led government since the hasty withdrawal of US-led foreign forces in August.
Taliban Foreign Ministry spokesman Abdul Qahir Balkhi said on Twitter that the foreign minister’s visit was aimed at discussing political, economic, transit and refugee issues between Afghanistan and Iran. He said a Taliban delegation led by Foreign Minister Amir Khan Mottaki had already held preliminary talks with Iranian officials.
Iran is already hosting millions of Afghans. Now, fearing the influx of more Afghan refugees, Tehran has sought to reconcile with the Taliban. Iran shares a 900-kilometer (550-mile) border with Afghanistan and did not recognize the first Taliban movement government from 1996 to 2001.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzada told a news conference earlier this week that “at the moment we are not in a position to recognize the Taliban regime.” Iranian officials are urging the Taliban to form a government representing all Afghan factions and ethnic groups.
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