Iranian Foreign Minister says that it is the responsibility of the current governing body of Afghanistan to fully maintain the security of the diplomatic missions of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the country.

Hossein Amir-Abdollahian made the remarks in his phone conversation with the Iranian ambassador to Kabul.

The phone talk came after videos circulated online of the attacks against the Iranian missions. The attackers only managed to damage the surveillance cameras by throwing stones at them.

In the phone call, the foreign minister expressed his dissatisfaction with the lack of necessary arrangements for the security of the diplomatic missions, which are the responsibility of the host country.

Referring to his recent talks with the Acting Foreign Minister of the Interim Government of Afghanistan in China, Amir-Abdollahian said that it is the responsibility of the current governing body of Afghanistan to fully maintain the security of the diplomatic buildings of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the country and they must explain about the attack on the Iranian embassy in Kabul and the country's consulate general in Herat.

He also warned about the conspiracies of the common enemies in this regard.

Earlier on Tuesday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry summoned Afghanistan’s chargé d'affaires to strongly protest against attacks on the Iranian embassy in Kabul and the country’s consulate in the eastern Afghan city of Herat.

According to the Foreign Ministry, Afghanistan’s chargé d'affaires was also notified that all consular sections of Iran’s missions in Afghanistan have suspended their services until further notice.

Seyed Rasoul Mousavi, the head of the South Asia Department at Iran’s Foreign Ministry, reminded the Afghan charge d'affaires of the responsibility of governments in ensuring the security of diplomatic missions and called for legal proceedings against those attacking Iran’s diplomatic missions.

All missions of the Islamic Republic of Iran across Afghanistan will resume their services once Afghanistan ensures their security, Mousavi said on Tuesday.

A day earlier, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh warned against plots by “certain ill-wishers of Iran and Afghanistan” to draw a wedge between people of the other country.

Khatibzadeh emphasized that Afghanistan’s acting Taliban government is definitely responsible for safeguarding and protecting the security of foreign diplomatic missions.

The Iranian government and people have been hospitable to the Afghan people for decades, hosting some 3.6 million documented and undocumented Afghan refugees who left their country due to war and harsh living conditions.

300,000 more refugees have entered Iran since the Taliban took over Afghanistan in mid-August last year. This is at a time when the Iranian nation is facing unilateral US sanctions and the international humanitarian bodies are keeping silent on such inhumane bans.

Currently, more than 520,000 foreign students, including Afghan students, are studying for free in Iran. Furthermore, Iran’s COVID-19 vaccination drive has also included Afghan refugees alongside Iranians.

 

 

By MEHR