TEHRAN - Iranian Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi has said the United States should not establish permanent military bases in Afghanistan because the move would be detrimental to U.S. interests.

“If the Americans are wise enough, they shouldn’t get themselves into long-term trouble by trying to establish permanent bases in Afghanistan,” Vahidi told IRNA during an exclusive interview on Sunday.
He stated that the U.S. efforts to establish bases in Afghanistan are part of its plan to impose a hegemonistic system on the region, but all of the countries and peoples of the region are opposed to this plot.
The presence of the foreign forces in the region, especially the U.S. troops, is very harmful and represents a gross violation of the national sovereignty of regional countries and undermines their security, he said.
He added, “As far as we know, the great Afghan nation does not agree to the establishment of U.S. military bases, and it is natural that the country’s officials, following their people, do not approve of such plans.”
“The countries of the region are also opposed to the presence of foreign troops in some of their neighboring countries because extra-regional countries are actually seeking to impede Islamic countries’ progress,” the Iranian defense minister noted.
Asked about the main objectives of his recent trip to Afghanistan, Vahidi said that during the visit Iran announced that it is ready to cooperate with the Afghan brothers in various areas, and the Afghans are also keen to enhance defense and security cooperation with Iran.
Vahidi added that the presence of foreign troops in Afghanistan has not affected Iran-Afghanistan ties even in the areas of security and defense, and this point was proven during his trip.
Many defense and security agreements were signed by the two countries during the trip, which bodes well for relations between the two countries’ defense ministries, he said.
Afghan officials also highlighted the importance of the trip and announced that it would help efforts to improve security and establish peace in Afghanistan and regional countries, he stated.