Ghalibaf: The presence of foreign troops in the region is threat

TEHRAN— Speaking at a convention called "The Persian Gulf Is Our Home" on the anniversary of Persian Gulf Day on Wednesday, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of the Iranian parliament, noted that the presence of foreign military troops in the region would only cause insecurity in the region, not peace.

Ankara, Islamabad and Kabul acknowledge Tehran’s role in hosting Afghan refugees

TEHRAN - Turkey, Pakistan, Afghanistan have issued a joint statement appreciating Iran’s role in hosting Afghan refugees amid renewed efforts to establish peace in Afghanistan.

Saudi Arabia has shown ‘positive signals’ for dialogue, says Iran’s Khatibzadeh

TEHRAN — In a virtual meeting through Clubhouse social media platform, hosted on April 20 by Al-Jazeera analyst Ali Hashem, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh answered questions by reporters from credible media around the world.

Zarif insists on finalizing preferential trade agreement with Indonesia

TEHRAN - Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif who visited Jakarta on Monday discussed trade and economic issues with his Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi.

Tehran says will consider participation at Istanbul summit if dialogue matches its principles 

‘We are trying to remove barriers to import vaccine from India’

TEHRAN— The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman on Monday set conditions for participating at the Istanbul summit about Afghanistan, saying Iran will attend the meeting provided that the Islamic Republic’s principles are observed.

Pakistani FM set to visit Iran soon

TEHRAN— Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi started a regional tour on Saturday that first took him to the UAE. After concluding visit to Abu Dhabi, he is scheduled to travel to Iran, Qatar and Turkey, respectively.

Taliban needs to reform based on democratic ways, says Zarif

TEHRAN — Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif spoke at the Raisina Dialogue 2021 forum on situation in Afghanistan on Friday, saying the Taliban needs to reform itself.

'India doubling down on Chabahar port project as strategic counter to China BRI gains momentum'

By the end of May, India will begin full-scale operations in its first foreign port venture at Iran’s Chabahar, a facility that opens on the Gulf of Oman that will aim to facilitate more South Asia, Central Asia and West Asia trade, Asia Times wrote on Sunday, April 4.

Afghan president proposes three-phase peace roadmap

Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani will put forward a three-phase peace roadmap for Afghanistan during a proposed meeting in Turkey, seeking an agreement with the Taliban and a ceasefire before elections, a document seen by Reuters news agency shows.

Iranian, Afghan diplomats discuss mutual cooperation at border point

TEHRAN - Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Mohsen Baharvand has met with Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Mirwais Nab at the Dougharoun-Islam Qala border point, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

UN needed to play ‘transparent role’ in Afghan peace process, Zarif suggests

TEHRAN - Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Tuesday that it is necessary that that the United Nations play a “transparent role” in the peace process in Afghanistan, TOLOnews reported.

Certain groups, countries unhappy over growing Tehran-Kabul ties, Zarif says

TEHRAN – Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Monday that certain countries and groups are not happy about the growing ties between Iran and Afghanistan.

Iranian FM says era of Western monopoly has ended

TEHRAN – The West no longer has a monopoly on international relations, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Monday, highlighting the growing role of Asian states on the global scene.

Zarif attends ‘Heart of Asia’ summit in Tajikistan

TEHRAN - Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif paid a visit to Tajikistan on Monday to attend the "Heart of Asia" summit on Afghanistan.

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.