Iran calls for inter-Afghan peace deal
March 01, 2020 - Iran’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement a lasting peace agreement in Afghanistan will be achieved only through inter-Afghan talks after the United States and the Taliban signed a peace deal on Saturday in Qatar.
Iran "believes a lasting peace agreement in Afghanistan will only be achieved through inter-Afghan dialogue with the participation of the country's political groups, including the Taliban, and by taking into account the concerns of Afghanistan's neighbors," read the statement.
The ministry also said that a peace deal recently signed between the Taliban and the United States is an attempt by Washington to justify its illegal presence in Afghanistan, stressing that only domestic talks can stabilize the war-torn country.
The peace pact was signed between the US and Taliban representatives in the Qatar on Saturday with the aim of gradually pull out of foreign troops from Afghanistan.
The United States said it will reduce the number of its troops in Afghanistan to 8,600 from the current 13,000 within 135 days of signing the deal, and work with its allies to reduce the number of their forces over that period.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran welcomes any development that contributes to peace and stability in Afghanistan and supports efforts being made in this regard under the Afghan leadership and sovereignty," Iran’s Foreign Ministry’s statement said.
The statement added Iran believes that the presence of foreign troops in Afghanistan is illegal and is one of the main reasons for the war and insecurity in that country which has killed more than 150,000 people in Afghanistan.
"The withdrawal of these forces is essential to achieving peace and security in Afghanistan, and any action that provides the ground for the withdrawal of these forces will contribute to peace in that country," it said.
The US launched its war on Afghanistan just weeks after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Washington accused the ruling Taliban of harboring Al-Qaeda and ousted the group from power.
But the Taliban have remained a potent force and currently control about 40% of Afghan territory.
Iran stressed it regards the so-called peace agreement "as an effort by America to legitimize the presence of its forces in Afghanistan and is opposed to it."
"The United States has no legal standing to sign a peace deal or determine the future of Afghanistan," the Iranian Foreign Ministry said.
"We believe that the United Nations has the appropriate capacity to facilitate inter-Afghan negotiations as well as to monitor and ensure the implementation of the agreements reached" among Afghanistan’s warring sides, it added.
While the agreement creates a path for the US to gradually pull out of its longest war, many say it will pose serious challenges as the Afghan government has so far been sidelined.
Kabul objection
Less than 24 hours after the signing of the deal, the Afghan government expressed its objection to certain elements of the deal.
At a press conference on Sunday, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani contradicted several aspects of the deal including the timeline for a controversial prisoner exchange.
Ghani’s comments highlight the difficulties that lie ahead for Afghanistan as the conflict enters a new phase. Specifically, the conditions surrounding the start of talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government and future levels of violence nationwide.
The US-Taliban peace deal charted a path for the full withdrawal of all US troops from Afghanistan and stated that inter-Afghan talks must begin by March 10. By that date, the deal stipulated, the Afghan government and Taliban must complete a prisoner exchange.
The Taliban has long demanded the release of 5,000 of its fighters held by the Afghan government, but officials in Kabul see the prisoners as a key piece of leverage to be used during their talks with the militants.
“Freeing Taliban prisoners is not [under] the authority of America, but the authority of the Afghan government. There has been no commitment for the release of 5,000 prisoners,” Ghani told reporters in Kabul on Sunday. Ghani said the prisoner swap could be discussed during talks with the Taliban but could not be a precondition.
The text of the US-Taliban deal released by the State Department clearly said the exchange of 5,000 Taliban prisoners for 1,000 people held by the Taliban would occur “by March 10, 2020, the first day of inter-Afghan negotiations.”
What the peace deal did not mention is the future of the period of reduced violence that preceded the deal’s signing. Following the signing ceremony Saturday, Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen said the week-long period of reduced violence has “ended.”
Ghani, however, said Sunday that the reduction in violence would extend and eventually transform into a cease-fire.
“The reduction of violence will continue and our goal is to turn in into cease-fire,” he said. The top US commander in Afghanistan “has made it clear to the Taliban that this is part of the [peace] deal,” Ghani continued. “If they back away from it, then [the Taliban is] openly violating the condition set for them.”