Top Iranian diplomat meets with Afghan acting FM
Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi Acting Foreign Minister of the Interim Government of Afghanistan who has traveled to Tehran at the head of a delegation to participate in the “Tehran Dialogue Forum” met with Seyyed Abbas Araghchi Iranian Foreign Minister.
Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, Acting Foreign Minister of the Interim Government of Afghanistan, who has traveled to Tehran at the head of a delegation to participate in the “Tehran Dialogue Forum,” met with Seyyed Abbas Araghchi, Iranian Foreign Minister.
In this meeting, the two sides exchanged views on a range of issues of mutual interest and under active follow-up, particularly trade exchanges, the status of Afghan nationals in Iran, water-related matters, security, and the shared borders.
The Iranian Foreign Minister, referring to his visit to Kabul in February of the previous year and the constructive negotiations held and agreements reached with officials of the Afghan Interim Government, emphasized the importance of strengthening and expanding bilateral relations between the two neighboring and Muslim countries based on good neighborliness and mutual interests, in pursuit of the higher interests of both nations.
Araghchi underlined the necessity of Afghanistan’s continued cooperation to ensure mutual interests in key areas, including the provision of Iran’s rightful share of water, the status and return of Afghan refugees, and the security of the common borders. He reaffirmed Iran’s full readiness to enhance cooperation in various sectors, including economic, trade, and cultural spheres, and to jointly confront common challenges such as drug trafficking and border security.
The Acting Foreign Minister of the Afghan Interim Government expressed gratitude for the invitation to attend the Tehran Dialogue Forum and conveyed his satisfaction over the meeting with his Iranian counterpart. He extended his best wishes for the success of this important international event and expressed confidence that the forum would contribute to enhanced friendship and closeness among neighboring countries.
Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi also expressed deep appreciation for the long-standing hospitality of the noble people of Iran towards Afghan migrants and refugees over several decades. He emphasized that the senior leadership of Afghanistan places special priority on pursuing and accelerating the implementation of agreements reached during the Iranian Foreign Minister’s visit to Kabul—particularly in areas such as refugee return, water rights, border security, and especially the expansion of economic and commercial cooperation.
UK chargé d’affaires summoned to Iran’s Foreign Ministry over unlawful detention of Iranian nationals
In response to the suspicious and unjustified detention of several Iranian nationals in the United Kingdom, the baseless charges brought against them, and the unfounded allegations leveled against the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the UK Chargé d’Affaires in Tehran (in the absence of the ambassador) was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday afternoon by Shahram Ghazizadeh, Director of the Third Western Europe Department of the Foreign Ministry.
During the summoning, Ghazizadeh formally conveyed the Islamic Republic of Iran’s strong protest against the aforementioned arrests and the baseless accusations directed at the Iranian government, while also requesting an explanation from the British government regarding the legal basis and justification for the arrests of Iranian nationals.
Underscoring the principled and responsible conduct of the Islamic Republic of Iran in observing local laws and regulations, Ghazizadeh stated that the detention of Iranian nationals and the attribution of charges to them in the absence of any evidence or substantiating proof—coupled with the deliberate withholding of timely notification to the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the obstruction of consular access and assistance—constitute a flagrant violation of established norms of international law and human rights.
He called upon the British government to observe its obligations under relevant international treaties, including the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.
The Director of the Third Western Europe Department further stressed that responsibility for the adverse consequences of such conduct—which appears politically motivated and aimed at exerting pressure on the Islamic Republic of Iran—lies with the British government.