Nasseri: Mass Media Play Grave Role in Maintenance of Calm
Nasseri told the closing ceremony of the educational workshop for Afghan mediamen at the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) that it should be accepted that the media have high power of influence.
In remembrance of IRNA correspondent Mahmoud Saremi and nine Iranian diplomats, who were slain by Taleban militia following the re-capture of Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan, in August 1998, the IRNA chief addressed himself to Afghan journalists, saying, "Saremi was martyred in Mazar-i-Sharif to elevate the status of the noble reporting profession." He said that arranging such educational workshops at IRNA for Afghan mediamen would be important in promoting cultural cooperation between Tehran and Kabul.
He added that IRNA is ready to continue holding such courses for Afghan journalists. IRNA is ready to put its facilities at the disposal of Afghan colleagues to upgrade news activities.
He expressed hope that the Afghan media would fully understand the grave and sensitive condition of the region and fulfill the mission they shoulder at the international level.
Culture minister's advisor and an instructor at the workshop Mohammad-Taqi Roghaniha said the course has been a successful experience in cultural cooperation between Tehran and Kabul.
Roghaniha said organization of such courses would promote links and expand cooperation between Iran and Afghanistan in news and data dissemination.
Meanwhile, head of the Diplomatic Education Center of the Foreign Ministry Arien-Nejad told the audience that Iran is for peace and stability in Afghanistan and concentrates all its efforts to restore security and stability in the country.
Arien-Nejad said the first batch of newly trained Afghan diplomats had graduated from his faculty.
The representative of Afghan students to the workshop Dastgir Hojabr told IRNA on the sidelines of the ceremony that the courses had been important and valuable for them.
Hojabr said well-experienced and veteran instructors had been employed by the organizers to teach the students.
He said the participants to the workshop had graduated a decade ago and were not abreast of the latest in their profession.
He added that the classes had put the students in track.
The Afghan journalists thanked Iranian people for supporting the Afghans during their war as well as in the era of reconstruction.
The graduates were offered certificates at the end of the ceremony.
The Afghan journalists presented a plate of honor to Saremi's widow Khadijeh Rouzbehani at the end of the ceremony.