Iran Respects Kabul Decision Not to Attend Tehran Meeting

DID Press: Iran’s Foreign Ministry said Tehran respects Afghanistan’s decision not to participate in the regional conference held in Tehran, while stressing the importance of constructive dialogue to resolve the Afghan crisis.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said the meeting was attended by special representatives from Russia, China, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, and focused on developments in Afghanistan and ways to achieve stability in the country. He noted that the conference was the result of prior consultations with Afghanistan’s neighbors and regional stakeholders, and marked the first initiative of its kind in the past two years.

Baghaei added that some countries, including Russia and Uzbekistan, participated at the level of presidential representatives, while Pakistan was represented by the prime minister’s envoy. He emphasized that Iran’s main objective in hosting the meeting was to facilitate engagement, promote understanding, and help identify a peaceful and political solution for stability in Afghanistan.

Referring to Afghanistan’s absence, the Iranian spokesperson said that while Kabul’s participation in such meetings could contribute to greater regional understanding, Iran respects Afghanistan’s decision not to attend.

He concluded by reiterating Iran’s principled view that Afghanistan’s challenges can only be resolved through inclusive dialogue among all Afghan parties and political currents, noting that the Tehran meeting aimed to encourage regional engagement and prevent further instability.