Taliban, Afghan delegations in Iran agree on need for political solution to end violence

During their conference in Iran, the Taliban delegation and the Afghan government agreed that the country's decades-long war must cease and that "a peaceful solution" should be pursued between the two parties. In a joint statement, the delegations said, "Both sides agreed on the dangers of continuing the war and the damage it would do to the health of the country, agreeing that war is not the solution to the Afghan problem and that all efforts to reach a political and peaceful solution should be justified."

Taliban, Afghan delegates in Iran agree to end war

According to the statement, during the next meeting, both sides will examine issues that require more discussion and clarification, such as building a framework for the transition from war to permanent peace, the agreed-upon Islamic system, and how to achieve it. During the talks in Tehran, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif stated that Tehran is ready to support inter-Afghan reconciliation fully.

US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said, "What Iran is trying to do or is in the process of doing by hosting this meeting may well be constructive. I think the jury is still out. This is obviously not something we have discussed with the Iranians, other than by public--by making the point very publicly that Afghanistan's neighbours need to be responsible stakeholders."

Taliban, Afghan delegates in Iran to seek political solution

In April, US President Joe Biden declared that American soldiers will leave Afghanistan by September 11. The Taliban have increased their attacks in numerous places since the start of the pullback in May, and scores of districts have fallen to the group. The US State Department on Wednesday urged its neighbours to play a positive role in Afghan peace talks "in order for there to be a just and permanent peace" in the country, despite the fact that the US has completed over "90%" of its withdrawal.

(with inputs from ANI)

Picture Credit: AP