TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said the European Union and the Taliban have requested to participate in the Afghanistan meeting in Tehran.

Foreign ministers of countries neighboring Afghanistan met in Tehran on October 27.

The Taliban and other Afghan groups have expressed interest in attending the conference in Tehran, Khatibzadeh said when asked if the Taliban had been invited to attend the meeting.

He added that Iran had also received requests from other people to attend the conference.

“We received requests to participate in the Tehran summit, the European Union for example, was interested in attending the summit as an observer,” he said.

The spokesperson also said that all of these demands were discussed at the Tehran summit, as the format of Afghanistan’s neighboring countries is based on “consensus”.

The first meeting on Afghanistan was hosted by Pakistan in September.

According to Khatibzadeh, all countries must make a single decision on an issue.

He said: “At the summit in Tehran, the request of the governing body of Afghanistan [Taliban] was reviewed and the necessary decision agreed to be taken at the meeting of the Special Representatives.

China, which shares a 46-mile border with Afghanistan, is expected to host the next Afghanistan meeting in 2022.

Meanwhile, Iranian Ambassador to China Mohammad Keshavarzzadeh said Tehran and Beijing share the same views on Afghanistan, stressing that they can work together to fight terrorism in the war-torn country.

Keshavarzzadeh told the Global Times that Iran and China have the same views on eradicating terrorism in Afghanistan and its fallout in neighboring countries, as well as upholding a policy of non-interference and d territorial integrity in the country.

He said Iran supports the use of China’s proposed Belt and Road Initiative to improve the economy and livelihoods of the people in Afghanistan. The Ambassador welcomed China’s commitment to host the third round of the meeting of foreign ministers from neighboring countries of Afghanistan and noted that Iran will support China.

The foreign ministers of Iran, China, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Russia held a meeting on Afghanistan in Tehran on Wednesday last week.

The Tehran meeting resulted in an agreement to hold the next round of the meeting in 2022 in China, indicating that countries neighboring Afghanistan have succeeded in establishing a credible platform to address issues related to peace and peace. security in Afghanistan.

The meeting endorsed a joint ministerial declaration which addressed a range of issues of great interest to all participants in the Tehran rally, officially known as the “Meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Neighboring Countries of Afghanistan + Russia “.

It was held as a follow-up to another meeting held in Pakistan in early September. At the meeting in Pakistan, participants agreed to hold the next meeting in Tehran.

The joint statement from the Tehran meeting noted that “an inclusive and broad political structure with the participation of all ethno-political groups is the only solution to Afghanistan’s problems.”

He also called on “the international community to provide emergency humanitarian aid”.

Further, the declaration called on the “international community to remain positively engaged with Afghanistan and to develop a long-term roadmap to advance the agenda of political engagement, economic integration and regional connectivity.”

To ensure that the meeting serves the interests of all participants, the statement took note of the “assurances and commitments of the responsible Afghan parties concerned to the international community that the territory of Afghanistan will not pose a threat to neighboring countries and not be used by criminal, terrorist and separatist groups, and sever ties with all kinds of terrorist groups, strike them down and decisively eliminate them.

The Taliban welcomed the meeting. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told the Fars news agency that the Tehran meeting was positive.

“It was a meeting between Tehran and the neighbors of Afghanistan which had positive results,” he said.

He added, “The Taliban expects this and other similar meetings to cooperate with the Afghans and take steps to recognize the Taliban so that we can interact with the world, our neighbors and the region as responsible party. “

Mujahid continued, “The position of the Taliban on such meetings is that the international community and individual countries should interact with the Taliban in various areas.”

Deputy Taliban spokesman Ahmadullah Wasiq also praised the Tehran meeting and called for it in favor of Afghanistan.

Responding to a request from foreign ministers of Afghanistan’s neighbors for a comprehensive government, he said there was a possibility of change in the Taliban cabinet.

“We support this meeting, as expected, and it was positive and in favor of Afghanistan,” Wasiq added.

Keshavarzzadeh said the mechanism put in place at the Tehran meeting would further strengthen cooperation between neighboring countries of Afghanistan. “Iran, for its part, will provide support to China and believes that this mechanism will further strengthen cooperation and understanding among the neighboring countries of Afghanistan and effectively contribute to their joint efforts to help the Afghan people to better protect its interests and to embark on the path of peace. , inclusion, friendship and well-being, ”he said.

The Ambassador added: “Iran also supports fully playing the role that regional economic initiatives and organizations such as the Belt and Road Initiative, SCO and ECO can play in improving the economy and livelihoods of the Afghan people “.

According to the diplomat, the mechanism of reuniting the neighboring countries of Afghanistan constitutes a “very important regional arrangement to support peace, reconciliation and national unity in Afghanistan”.

Keshavarzzadeh told the Global Times that all neighboring countries are very concerned about terrorism in Afghanistan. He called on the Taliban to strive to honor their commitment to the fight against terrorism.

Iran and China share common views on different regional and international issues, said the diplomat who stressed that an inclusive and broad political structure with the participation of all ethno-political groups is the only solution to the Afghan problem.

“The Tehran meeting was mainly focused on promoting a political solution to the Afghan crisis. Iran’s position on this matter is consistent and principled. We believe it is imperative to form an inclusive political structure that represents all ethnic and religious groups in this country and during this conference Iran reaffirmed that international recognition would not fly without internal reconciliation and a government fully representative in his country. Countries in the region and members of the international community as a whole should help build consensus in Afghanistan to ensure lasting peace and prosperity, ”he said.

Another important point, the ambassador noted, is how to deal with the legacy of foreign interference in the region. “In this regard, any kind of action which could lead to the resumption of irresponsible actions and intimidation in Afghanistan must be avoided and the United States and its NATO allies who have created this chaotic situation must not to shrink from their responsibilities, ”the ambassador said.

He mentioned that it is important for Afghanistan to have access to its financial resources in order to avoid further suffering, especially as winter approaches. “Last but not least is the fundamental importance of respecting human rights in Afghanistan, especially the rights of women and girls and of all ethnic and religious groups,” he said.

He stressed: “The political structure and development path of Afghanistan is up to the Afghan people to decide. All ethno-political groups and parties should participate in an inclusive government that will lead to national reconciliation, peace and integrity.

According to the ambassador, Iran now hopes to meet the urgent needs of the Afghan people. Sending humanitarian aid, opening borders as soon as possible to facilitate and normalize business activities, fueling for the next cold season, proper attention to refugees and displaced people and maintaining the functioning of diplomatic missions are all important steps taken by Iran in accordance with fraternal relations, he said.

He called on international and regional organizations, in particular the UN and its agencies, to shoulder their responsibilities and provide Afghanistan and its neighboring countries with the necessary assistance.

He said Iran has declared itself ready to serve as a hub for the delivery of goods and equipment to Afghanistan. “Given that Iran has hosted more than 3 million Afghan nationals for more than three decades and that its economy is strained by illegal and oppressive United States sanctions, Iran should have the support of members of the United States. the international community to deal with the problem of arriving refugees. Afghanistan, ”he noted.