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2018-11-15 10:55
Russia hits back at U.S. over Afghan statement
TEHRAN _ Russian Foreign Ministry has denounced a senior U.S. official's claim about Russia's interference in negotiations on Afghanistan as Washington's attempts to shift the blame for its own policy failures in the country.
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2018-11-13 09:56
‘U.S. failed in Afghanistan’: Russia
TEHRAN _ A few days after Moscow hosted landmark ‘peace talks’ on Afghanistan, a senior Russian diplomat said Moscow has offered to broker Afghan peace talks because the U.S. has failed in bringing peace to the war-ravaged country.
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2018/11/12
By Syed Zafar Mehdi
Taliban talks: Dialogue and violence can’t go together
TEHRAN _ Dialogue and violence cannot go hand in hand. The first cardinal principle of ‘peace negotiations’ is an unconditional ceasefire. That is how the two warring sides build trust, bury the hatchet and make peace with each other. You cannot extend an olive branch and point the barrel of gun at the same time. That renders the whole exercise futile.
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2018-11-11 10:12
‘Casualties in Afghan polls highest ever’
TEHRAN _ The number of civilian casualties in Afghanistan’s parliamentary elections last month was higher than casualties recorded in four previous elections in Afghanistan, the United Nations mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said in a report.
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2018-11-10 22:54
Syed Zafar Mehdi
Moscow talks opportunity to “open a new page” in Afghanistan’s history
TEHRAN _ On Friday, Russia hosted a landmark international meeting on Afghanistan, which saw the participation of representatives from the Taliban, Afghan government and many regional countries, including Iran.
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2018-11-10 22:45
Intl. conference cements common heritage along Silk Road
TEHRAN – A recent conference hosted delegations of experts and officials from Iran and other countries with the aim of cementing common heritage along the ancient Silk Road.
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2018-11-06 07:45
‘Peaceful Afghanistan in interest of region’
TEHRAN - Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has said that a peaceful Afghanistan is in the best interest of the region, especially Pakistan so all the regional countries should come together to ensure peace in Afghanistan.
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2018-11-06 07:38
Russia to host international ‘peace talks’ on Afghanistan on Nov 9
TEHRAN -In a bid to broker peace between the Afghan government and the Taliban, Moscow will be hosting international talks on Afghanistan on November 9, which is likely to see participation of representatives from the Afghan government, the Taliban and regional countries.
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2018-10-31 20:57
Tehran condoles with Afghanistan over chopper crash
TEHRAN – Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi has voiced regret over the deadly crash of an army helicopter in Western Afghanistan, which claimed the lives of all crew members and passengers including several military and government officials.
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2018-10-31 20:10
DOE chief demands UN to cooperate on negotiating Hamoun water right
TEHRAN — Over a meeting held in Tehran on Wednesday with the UN resident coordinator and UNDP representative Ugochi Daniels, Issa Kalantari, chief of Iran’s Department of Environment (DOE), emphasized the need for negotiating with Afghanistan to discuss Hamoun Lake water right.
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2018-10-28 21:17
Vote of confidence session proof of political maturity: VP
TEHRAN - Vice President for Parliamentary Affairs Hossein-Ali Amiri said on Sunday that a Saturday parliamentary session to cast vote of confidence for four proposed ministers showed the country’s “political maturity”.
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2018-10-18 09:06
UN calls for women's participation in Afghan polls
TEHRAN - United Nations mission in Afghanistan has called for peaceful parliamentary elections with women’s full participation – as candidates, electoral workers, observers and voters – terming it "the civil and political right of all women".
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2018-10-17 20:49
By Syed Zafar Mehdi
Journalists in war-ravaged Afghanistan continue to walk a tightrope
TEHRAN- s violence against journalists surges in Afghanistan and government faces the heat for failing to safeguard their rights, President Ashraf Ghani says his government is not at odds with the media and that government and the media should work together and be committed to implementing the law.
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2018-10-16 19:42
Tensions rise on Afghan-Pakistan border
TEHRAN - After a brief period of uneasy calm, the tensions between estranged neighbors Pakistan and Afghanistan are again on the boil. A key border crossing between the two countries was shut on Monday as the troops exchanged fire across the border.
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2018-10-16 08:16
UN chief decries violence ahead of Afghan polls
TEHRAN - The United Nations chief has denounced violent attacks targeting electoral booths in Afghanistan as the country gears up for parliamentary elections later this week.
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2018-10-15 22:42
In a first, India and China team up to train Afghan diplomats
TEHRAN - For all the major regional players, strategic presence in Afghanistan has a deep significance for host of reasons. It is considered as a laboratory for testing each other’s power and influence in the region.
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2018-10-15 22:37
By Syed Zafar Mehdi
Afghan refugee who defied odds to become an accomplished physicist in Iran
TEHRAN - She was forced to leave her homeland as a small child, along with her family, when the country was battling civil war, much before 9/11 and the American invasion. She became a refugee at a tender age, and faced tremendous hardships while growing up. But, somehow adversities proved to be blessing in disguise for her, making her strong and giving her definite purpose and direction in life.
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2018-10-14 09:03
Afghanistan, Turkmenistan sign energy pact
TEHRAN -The energy ministers of Turkmenistan and Afghanistan signed an agreement to strengthen energy cooperation through the ambitious Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan transmission line, according to reports.
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2018-10-13 22:27
Senior Iranian diplomat meets Abdullah in Tajikistan
TEHRAN – Iran’s deputy foreign minister on Saturday met with Afghanistan’s Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah on the sidelines of a Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
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2018-10-10 21:30
Taliban warn to disrupt polls
TEHRAN- Breaking their silence on the upcoming parliamentary polls, the Taliban on Monday issued a stern warning of disrupting the October 20 elections, adding to the anxiety of candidates and voters.
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2018-10-08 23:00
UN urges Taliban not to use IEDs
TEHRAN - The United Nations has called on insurgent groups in Afghanistan to refrain from using improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in civilian areas, after it reported a sharp rise in civilian casualties caused by the explosives this year.
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2018/10/08
By Syed Zafar Mehdi
17 years of America’s disastrous Afghanistan venture
TEHRAN - On Sunday, the protracted war in Afghanistan completed 17 years. It was on October 7, 2001 the U.S. government and its allies launched the so-called ‘Operation Freedom’ apparently to topple the Taliban regime in Kabul, following the 9/11 attacks. Yet 17 years later, America’s longest war still grinds on, despite more than $2 trillion investment and thousands of casualties.
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2018-10-08 19:21
By Syed Zafar Mehdi
‘The blame for resurrecting the insurgency in Afghanistan ultimately rests with the U.S.’
TEHRAN - The war in Afghanistan, which began on October 7, 2001, completed 17 years this week. More than 17 years after invading the country, the U.S.-led international coalition has reluctantly conceded defeat to insurgent groups, after miserably failing in counter-terrorism efforts. Today, security situation remains volatile, government is in disarray, terrorists are stronger than ever, and civilians continue to pay the heavy price.
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2018-10-07 09:23
‘U.S.-Russia war moving to Afghanistan’
TEHRAN - Noting that the escalating tensions between the U.S. and Russia were moving toward Afghanistan, Afghanistan’s deputy foreign minister said it could have “negative repercussions” for the war-torn country.
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2018-10-06 20:49
Iran, Afghanistan discuss refugee issues
TEHRAN – Iranian Deputy Interior Minister for Security Affairs, Hossein Zolfaqari, has held talks with Afghan Minister of Refugees and Repatriations Hussain Alami Balkhi on the sidelines of the 69th session of the Executive Committee of the High Commissioner’s Programme.
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2018-10-06 20:02
Guards crush armed group on Afghan border
TEHRAN – Iranian border guards on Thursday disbanded a three-member team of gunmen as they were trying to cross the country’s border with Afghanistan, local news outlets reported
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2018-10-05 17:56
Afghanistan sends Afghan-Iranian movie “Rona, Azim’s Mother” to Oscars
TEHRAN – “Rona, Azim’s Mother”, a co-production between Afghanistan and Iran, has been submitted to the 91st Academy Awards in the best foreign language film category, the Persian service of ISNA reported on Thursday.
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2018-10-03 22:30
Ghani says no to ‘foreign mercenaries’
TEHRAN - Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, reacting to recent remarks made by Blackwater founder Erik Prince, has said that Afghan security forces have enough capability and have managed to save the country from “collapse”.
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2018-10-03 21:00
Afghanistan, Pakistan vow to improve ties
TEHRAN - Afghan envoy to Pakistan Omar Zakhilwal called on Pakistan’s minister of state for interior affairs Shehryar Khan Afridi on Tuesday and discussed bilateral relations between the two countries.
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2018/10/03
By Syed Zafar Mehdi
Parliamentary polls another test for Afghan democracy
TEHRAN - The campaigning for October 20 Afghan parliamentary polls quietly kicked off last week. Originally slated for 2015, the election has been repeatedly deferred due to the fragile security environment and national unity government’s lack of preparedness.
