Iran declined participation in four-way meeting in Moscow last month because of the US involvement, says an Iranian diplomat.
The diplomat says Tehran turned down an invitation to take part in the meeting on Afghanistan in Moscow as it included the US but excluded the Afghan government, according to Iranian media.
Speaking at a meeting of the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations, Director General of the Southeast Asian Department of the Iranian Foreign Ministry Seyyed Rasoul Mousavi said Iran had twice declined invitations to participate in meetings on Afghanistan.
“A four-party meeting was held in Moscow with China, the US, Russia and Pakistan in attendance. Iran was also invited, but the Islamic Republic declined the invitation in line with its policy on Afghanistan,” he said.
Another meeting on Afghanistan was held in China, and representatives from China and Russia came to Tehran to encourage Iran to attend.
“But we did not attend that meeting either, and we would definitely not go to any venue that excludes the Afghan government,” Mousavi remarked.
“The US, Russia, China and Pakistan are seeking to shape the future political system of Afghanistan, while such a decision must be made by the Afghan people, and it is really dangerous that foreign countries would decide for the people of another country.”
The Iranian diplomat urged that the winner of the Afghan election should continue Ashraf Ghani’s peace plan, considered by Tehran as the “Kabul Peace Plan”.
