Iran has once again condemned possible plans for the establishment of permanent U.S. military bases in Afghanistan, stressing that the bases would be a source of permanent insecurity from Iran’s neighbour.
Rahim Mohammadi Yekta, the chief Iranian consul in Heart, told a press conference today that Iran opposes any form of foreign interference in Afghanistan.
The senior Iranian diplomat emphasized that foreign troops have been unsuccessful in establishing security in Afghanistan and, in fact, security has steadily decreased.
“These people with their 200,000 troops have failed to establish security,” Mohammdi Yekta said. “How can they be expected to do so with a few military bases?”
He went on to add: “These bases will become a permanent source of insecurity in Afghanistan and will be a centre for propagating insecurity and the support of one group at the expense of another, thus creating discord and bad blood among the people of Afghanistan.”
He went on to insist that the people of Afghanistan must be allowed to resolve their own problems.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai has tried to calm the concerns of his neighbours by saying any agreement signed with the U.S. will be in “the political, economic and military interest of Afghanistan” and the precondition of any agreement would be “the establishment of peace and the provision of stability in Afghanistan.”
Hilary Clinton announced to the U.S. Congress last week that 90 percent of the strategic treaty with Afghanistan has been agreed upon, and the Afghan government is preparing to meet with representatives from various strata of the country in order to finalize the agreement.
