US Offers Iran Dialogue On Afghanistan - Special Envoy

The United States is open to a dialogue on the future of Afghanistan with Iran, which remains the only stakeholder nation not supportive of the ongoing diplomatic efforts to bring peace to the country, US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad said on Thursday

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th September, 2020) The United States is open to a dialogue on the future of Afghanistan with Iran, which remains the only stakeholder nation not supportive of the ongoing diplomatic efforts to bring peace to the country, US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad said on Thursday.

"We have offered to meet with Iranians on this issue, that they should join various fora, where we are there and they are there to discuss the future of Afghanistan," Khalilzad said during a webinar at the United States Institute of Peace.

Khalilzad accused Iran of seeking to keep the United States entangled in the conflict in Afghanistan without winning or losing, and Washington is monitoring Tehran's activities very closely.

"[T]here have been occasionally disturbing actions that have had a negative impact," Khalilzad said.

The Special Representative did not elaborate on the alleged actions, but warned the United States would respond to Tehran encouraging "groups close to Iran to take action against us and coalition partners."

The United States and the Taliban, Afghanistan's major armed opposition movement, signed a peace agreement in February that paved the way to reducing violence in the country, gradual foreign troop withdrawal and intra-Afghan negotiations.