Iran's Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi met with the visiting foreign minister of Afghanistan's Northern Alliance, Abdullah Abdullah, in Tehran Thursday and was briefed on the ongoing situation in the war-torn country.
The two also discussed ongoing developments in Afghanistan as well as ways of alleviating the sufferings of the oppressed Afghans, reported the official Iranian news agency (IRNA).
Iran does not recognize the fundamentalist Sunni Taliban regime in Kabul and supports the Northern Alliance, whose troops of various ethnic groups are fighting to capture Taliban-held areas.
US President George Bush has described the opposition soldiers as “friendly” forces.
Kharrazi reiterated the need for further attention to the plight of the Afghan people and assistance to those civilians who have come under the US-led attacks.
Iran has denounced the attacks, saying they endanger the lives of civilians.
Kharrazi, on a one-day visit to Turkmenistan and Tajikistan, left early Friday for Dushanbe to discuss the ongoing crisis in neighboring Afghanistan.
Talking to IRNA, Kharrazi cited "examination of the regional developments and the current Afghan situation as well as examination of bilateral ties" as the objectives of the trip.
"In view of the recent developments in the region as well as the neighborhood of Tajikistan and Turkmenistan with Afghanistan, the need for an exchange of thoughts is felt more than before," he said. Later in the day, the Iranian minister will travel to Ashkhabad to hold talks with Turkmen officials, said the agency.
During his visits, Kharrazi is scheduled to meet with the presidents and foreign ministers of the two countries – Albawaba.com
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