TEHRAN -- The Governor General of Herat in western Afghanistan, Ismael Khan, has stated that the Islamic Republic of Iran has not interfered in the internal affairs of his country and that the anti-Iranian propaganda stems from elements of the Taleban.

Speaking at a news agency in Islamabad, Pakistan, he said Iran is the country which made the greatest contribution to the people of Afghanistan during the difficult times of war with the former Soviet Union and the struggle against the Taleban militia.

"Afghanistan has a 900-km border with Iran and over 2.5 million refugees still live in that country," he said, adding that Iran has spared no effort to help establish peace and stability in Afghanistan and to help the Afghan people.

He categorically rejected reports that Iran was providing military assistance to officials in Herat Province and said such reports are merely baseless and false propaganda created by the Taleban and some Western mass media.

There are still a great number of Al-Qaeda and Taleban members in eastern and western Afghanistan, especially in Kandahar, and most of the baseless allegations against Iran stem from those areas, Ismael Khan said.

"Currently, Iran's trade routes are open to Afghan people and due to the good facilities provided by Iranian officials, many economic needs of the war-ravaged people are being met," he said, adding that foreign journalists in Herat can easily observe the goods sent to Afghanistan through Iran.

He also expressed his full support for the interim government of Afghanistan and said he was the first to openly support that government.