Velayati: 20 years of occupation left heavy damage in Afghanistan

TEHRAN – Ali Akbar Velayati, Secretary General of the World Assembly on Islamic Awakening, on Monday expressed regret at the enormous damage caused by the US military invasion of Afghanistan.
Addressing a virtual conference on Afghanistan hosted by the World Islamic Awakening Assembly, Velayati warned that despite the shameful withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, the Americans still maliciously attempt to create divisions among the Afghans.
Velayati reiterated Iran’s commitment to support the Afghan nation on the path to peace, security and development.
He also commended the Afghan people for their courageous struggles against the occupiers and invaders from the West and the East over the past decades.
The Afghans fought the invading Soviet Army in the 1980s, forcing the Kremlin out of the country in disgrace. After the attacks of September 11, 2001, the United States also invaded Afghanistan. The United States is also shamefully leaving 20 years later.
Addressing the conference titled “Afghanistan, Lasting Peace and Security,” the veteran politician noted that the United States has occupied Afghanistan for 20 years, deploying thousands of troops and spending billions of dollars, resulting in serious damage and major disasters in Afghanistan.
Despite the initial illusion, the United States is humiliatingly withdrawing its troops from Afghanistan, even though it is still trying to destroy what remains in Afghanistan, regretted Velayati, Iran’s foreign minister from 1981 to 1997. .
The Iranian politician also warned that the United States was engaged in excruciating provocations to create discord among the noble Afghan people.
“However, the elite and educated individuals in Afghanistan are aware of their bad intentions and will foil these plots,” he said.
Velayati attributed the bloody wars between various ethnic groups in Afghanistan over the past 40 years to foreign provocations and called for vigilance to strengthen brotherhood between all parties who have lived in friendship and peace for thousands of years. years.
On July 8 and 9, Iran’s foreign ministry chaired a series of intra-Afghan negotiations. Representatives of the Afghan government and the Taliban took part in the talks.
The meeting was also attended by high level personalities supporting the Afghan Republic.
The two-day Afghan internal talks ended on July 9 with six statements. All parties attending the meeting recognized the threat of a protracted war in Afghanistan and its damage to the country. In their statement, they also agreed that war is not the solution to the Afghan problem and called for collective efforts to achieve a peaceful and political solution.
Delegations from the Afghan government and the Taliban said in a joint statement on Sunday that they would meet again and plan to speed up peace talks after two days of inconclusive talks in Doha, Al Jazeera learned.
Negotiators from the rival parties, who have been in Doha since Saturday, said: “The two sides are committed to continuing negotiations at a high level until an agreement is reached.”
SA / AP