Iran welcomes Afghan president’s remarks on Helmand water right

TEHRAN – The Iranian government welcomes Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s remarks on water right of the transboundary Helmand River, saying the country is ready to turn the issue into a subject of cooperation, Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh has said.

Pakistan envoy holds talks with Iran FM over Afghan peace process

TEHRAN – A senior Pakistani official met on Sunday evening with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to discuss the latest developments in Afghanistan.

Iranian police seize $3b of smuggled goods, currency

TEHRAN – Smuggled goods and currency worth 126 trillion rials (nearly $3 billion at the official rate of 42,000 rials) have been discovered across the country over the past eleven months, Mohammad Reza Moghimi, the police chief, has announced.

U.S. proposes interim government in Afghanistan until new polls

A draft peace plan proposed by the United States for Afghanistan has called for the current government to be replaced with an interim administration until a new constitution is agreed and elections held, while a joint commission monitors a ceasefire.

Blinken proposes to include Iran among others in Afghan peace talks

TEHRAN - Secretary of State Antony Blinken is proposing a series of steps to restart Afghanistan’s stalled peace process between the government and Taliban, according to a letter from Blinken to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani published Sunday by Afghanistan’s TOLONews, Politico reported.

Dam building in Afghanistan threatens Hamoun Wetlands in Iran

TEHRAN – Construction of Kamal Khan Dam in Afghanistan has caused Hamoun Wetlands to dry up and generate sand and dust hotspots, Masoud Tajrishi, deputy head of the Department of Environment (DOE) for the human environment, has said.

Huge blaze on Afghan border didn’t damage Iran’s customs post

TEHRAN – A fuel tanker blast at the Iran-Afghanistan border that caused massive fire did not affect a key crossing on the eastern border with Afghanistan, a local Iranian official has said.

Blast hits Iranian-Afghanistan border as dozens of gas tanker trucks reportedly catch fire

A gas tanker truck has exploded on the Iranian-Afghanistan border at a customs post in Herat Province .

Talks with Taliban done with knowledge of Afghan government: Tehran

TEHRAN – Saeed Khatibzadeh, spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, said on Monday that the talks Iran had with the Taliban were all coordinated with the Afghan government.

Over 778 tons of narcotics seized by Iran in 10 months

TEHRAN - More than 778 tons of narcotics were seized by Iran in the first 10 months of 2020, Kazem Gharibabadi, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the United Nations Office and other International Organizations in Vienna, has said.

Iran ready to help restore al-Biruni’s mausoleum in Afghanistan

TEHRAN - Iranian Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts on Sunday said that the Islamic Republic is ready to cooperate with Afghanistan to restore and renovate the mausoleum of Persian scholar and polymath Abu Rayhan al-Biruni, which is located in the city of Ghazni.

Foreign troops to stay in Afghanistan beyond May deadline 

International troops plan to stay in Afghanistan beyond the May deadline envisaged by the insurgent Taliban’s deal with the United States, four senior NATO officials said, a move that could escalate tensions with the Taliban demanding full withdrawal.

Taliban political delegation visits Iran for peace talks

TEHRAN - A Taliban political delegation led by Mullah Abdul Ghani arrived in Tehran on Tuesday morning at the invitation of Iranian officials, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

Iranian govt. spokesman calls assassination of Afghan official disgusting 

TEHRAN – Iran's government spokesman Ali Rabiei on Monday condemned the Sunday terrorist attack in Kabul that resulted in the death of an Afghan official.

Afghan president calls for long-term relations with Iran

TEHRAN - President Ashraf Ghani said on Friday that the Afghanistan government must have short-term, medium-term and long-term relations with Iran.

Iran, Afghanistan seek to bolster tourism ties

TEHRAN – Iran and Afghanistan are set to extend mutual tourism ties both in the current coronavirus era and when the pandemic is contained.  

Taliban is part of future solution in Afghanistan, says Zarif

FM says Iran has neither “forgiven” nor “forgotten” the murder of Iranian diplomats by Taliban

TEHRAN — Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has said the Taliban is part of a future solution in Afghanistan, but not the whole solution, and there is a big difference between the two.

FM Zarif urges U.S. to withdraw from the region

TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has urged the U.S. to withdraw its troops from the West Asia region, the Fars news agency reported on Saturday.

Iran calls for inclusive Afghan-led peace process to end instability

TEHRAN — Majid Takht-Ravanchi, Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, has called for a “comprehensive and inclusive Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process” in order to bring peace and stability to Afghanistan.

Araghchi meets top Afghan officials in Kabul

TEHRAN — Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has met with Afghanistan’s top officials in Kabul to discuss bilateral ties.

Iran hails Khaf-Herat railway as great step forward

TEHRAN — Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh has hailed the Tehran-Kabul relations as an excellent example of good neighborliness, referring to the Khaf-Herat railway as a great step toward expanding bilateral cooperation.

FM Zarif hails Iran-Afghanistan railway project as border bridge

TEHERAN – Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has hailed a joint railway project linking eastern Iran to western Afghanistan as a boost to regional trade and popular exchanges.

Iranian embassy in Kabul denies insulting of Afghan nationals

TEHRAN — Iran’s embassy to Kabul has issued a statement dismissing as fake two videos that show Iranians insulting Afghan nationals in Iran, Mehr reported.

Iran, neighbors explore ways to safeguard Silk Roads heritage

TEHRAN – Cultural experts and officials from Iran and some neighboring states on Thursday discussed ways to safeguard, and benefit from the cultural heritage their nations are inherited from the ancient Silk Roads.

Afghan govt, Taliban announce breakthrough deal to press on with peace talks

Afghan government and Taliban representatives said on Wednesday they had reached a preliminary deal to press on with peace talks, their first written agreement in 19 years of war.