He expressed satisfaction with the opening of the Khaf-Herat railway, expressing hope that this project could play an effective role in promoting and strengthening relations between the two countries and the welfare and economic development of the Afghan people.

Shamkhani also described the creation of the necessary infrastructure for the development of relations in all fields as vital and inevitable.

Referring to the common threats and interests of the two countries on various issues, especially the issue of the spread of terrorism and the need to establish stability and security in the region, he stressed Iran’s strong support for the legitimate government of Afghanistan and the need to increase cooperation and interaction between Tehran and Kabul in various political, economic and security fields.

He highlighted that the United States has stepped up its insecurity in the West Asian region over the past year by the cowardly assassination of senior counterterrorism commanders Lt. Gen. Qassem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran is determined to take hard revenge on the perpetrators of this historic crime to prevent the continuation of terrorist and anti-security acts of the United States and its agents and to force them to leave the region,” Shamkhani said.

Hamdullah Mohib, for his part, announced the readiness of the government and people of Afghanistan to expand cooperation and interaction with the government and the nation of Iran and mentioned Iran as his second home.

Referring to the unwavering support of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the hospitality of Iranian people to the people of Afghanistan over the past 40 years, he said, “The government and people of Afghanistan have always appreciated the kindness, help, and support of Iran and Iranians.”

He also presented a report on the progress of Afghanistan Peace Talks, saying, “Unfortunately, despite the agreements signed between the United States and the Taliban, the group’s attacks and destructive actions have not only not decreased, but have also increased.”

Appreciating the effective and constructive role of the Islamic Republic of Iran in establishing peace and stability in Afghanistan, Mohib added, “The Taliban tried to impose their terms and force the Afghan government to surrender by abusing the agreement with the United States, but we resisted their demands by emphasizing our principled and legal positions.”

Hamdullah Mohib arrived in Tehran on Tuesday morning to meet and hold talks with high political and security officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

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IRAN NEWS POLITICAL DESK

TEHRAN – A senior Iranian official says terrorism, extremism and the presence of foreign forces are the major threats to the region.

Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Vice Admiral Ali Shamkhani said terror and extremism have affected regional peace and security.

“In our region, terrorism and extremism are disasters that still linger on, and, along with other factors, have affected the peace, security and welfare of us all,” he said at the opening of the 2nd Regional Security Conference in Tehran.

“We have no option, but to stand up to this threat through cooperation and rapport and by getting to grasp a proper understanding of the root causes behind the emergence and promotion of this threat,” he added at conference, which brought together senior security officials from Iran, Russia, China, India, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

He said the ongoing “detrimental presence” of foreign forces in the region is a key contributor to the promotion of terrorism and extremism in the region.

Shamkhani said this year’s conference focuses on Afghanistan.

“In this meeting, we will exchange views and analyze the different dimensions of the crisis in Afghanistan to work out practical solutions to boost collective security cooperation to tackle these challenges, which have directly affected efforts to strengthen stability and security in Afghanistan.

He said the key responsibility of the participating countries is to tackle the existing security challenges.

Shamkhani said: “Over the past year, our region has witnessed many developments, some of which are in line with the goals and interests of the region’s countries, and some have unfortunately added to the grief and suffering of the peoples of the region,” Iran Press reported.

He underlined that terrorism and extremism is a continuing scourge, affecting peace, security, and prosperity of the region, along with other factors.

“We have witnessed various incidents in the region during the past year, such as acts of terrorism and extremism, posing a threat to our region, and the only way to tackle this threat is through regional cooperation and collaboration,” Shamkhani added.

He said: “We are trying to exchange ideas and cooperate on how best to counter the challenges facing Afghanistan and neighboring countries.”

Iran’s top official went on to add: “Expanding coordination among regional countries against Takfiri terrorism is another matter to be discussed in the session.”

Senior security officials from Russia, Afghanistan, and India with high-ranking delegations are attending the conference which opened in Tehran on December 18, 2019.

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