PESHAWAR (Pajhwok): Top Pakistani and Iranian diplomats on Thursday discussed the Afghan peace process and the overall regional security environment.
Amid foreign forces’ pullout from Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Iran’s Special Envoy on Afghanistan Mohammad Ebrahim Taherian Fard met in Islamabad.
Viewing peace in Afghanistan as vital to regional stability, Pakistan had always opposed a military solution to the Afghan conflict, Qureshi said.
The foreign minister believed a sustainable Afghan-led and Afghan-owned political solution through comprehensive negotiations was the best option to end the conflict.
Rising violence in Afghanistan had affected both Pakistan and Iran, Qureshi said, warning that the ongoing unrest could strengthen “spoilers”.
He called on all Afghan factions to initiate immediate steps to make the peace process fruitful. Peace would help boost bilateral trade and repatriation of Afghan refugees, he argued.
The Foreign Office in Islamabad said the minister conveyed Pakistani leadership’s best wishes to newly-elected Iranian President Syed Ibrahim Raisi.
Ebrahim Fard thanked Qureshi and called for joint efforts for peace in Afghanistan. The diplomats also discussed Pak-Iran relations and other areas of interest. – pajhwok.com
