KABUL (SW) – In a recent meeting held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, the foreign and defense ministers of Russia, China, Iran, and Pakistan expressed concerns over ISIS’s attempts to gain a stronger foothold in Afghanistan.
Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s Foreign Minister, and Shehbaz Sharif, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, reiterated the existence of terrorism threats emanating from Afghanistan during their speeches at the 79th UN General Assembly.
The high-ranking officials of Iran and Pakistan specifically named ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) as threats linked to Afghanistan.
In response, the Islamic Emirate has “assured” that there are no terrorism threats from Afghan soil. Hamdullah Fetrat, Deputy Spokesperson of the Islamic Emirate, stated to the media, “We support all positive policies of neighboring countries. Afghanistan poses no danger or threat to anyone; we don’t allow the activities of foreign armed groups and assure that no threats will arise from Afghan territory.”
Russia, China, Iran, and Pakistan, which have relatively good relations with the Islamic Emirate, have asserted that dialogue and engagement with the Islamic Emirate are the only options available to the world at this time. This approach has been welcomed by the Islamic Emirate, with Fetrat emphasizing that the de-facto government views dialogue as a fundamental solution.
International relations expert Wali Forozan, shared his perspectives on the concerns and interests of these countries in establishing relations with the Islamic Emirate, saying, “Countries wishing to engage with Afghanistan must address trade issues, security concerns, and other matters such as drug trafficking. They are compelled to engage with the Taliban/Islamic Emirate.”
Additionally, Sayed Akbar Siyal, another international affairs expert said: “When emphasis is placed on interaction to solve problems, there are conditions that these countries need to consider. There must be sincerity and integrity in the engagement.”
It is worth noting that despite assurances from the Islamic Emirate regarding the absence of terrorism threats from Afghan territory over the past three years, regional countries remain skeptical about this issue.
