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.

Iran calls for immediate U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan

TEHRAN – Saeed Khatibzadeh, the spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, has called for an immediate withdrawal of the United States troops from Afghanistan.

Iranian Foreign Ministry calls for closer interactions with Afghanistan

TEHRAN — Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh has expressed satisfaction over his visit to Afghanistan, saying popular and cultural interactions are an integral part of a strategic relationship.

U.S. pursuing scorched earth policy in Afghanistan, Iran says

TEHRAN - Saeed Khatibzadeh, the spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, has accused the United States of trying to destroy Afghanistan’s legal institutions, calling on the U.S. not to follow the “scorched earth policy” in the country.

Zarif urges responsible exit of foreign troops from Afghanistan

TEHRAN — Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has said Iran has always supported intra-Afghan dialogue owned and led by Afghans themselves, which should include the Taliban, and which preserves the post-2001 achievements.

Zarif to attend 2020 Afghanistan Conference

TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif will attend the virtual 2020 Afghanistan Conference in Geneva, Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said on Monday.

ISIL attack hits Afghan capital as Pompeo joins peace talks

Mortar shells slammed into a residential area of Afghanistan's capital and killed eight people Saturday, hours before outgoing U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo held what are likely his last meetings with the Taliban and Afghan government negotiators trying to hammer out a peace deal.

Iran condemns Kabul rocket attack

TEHRAN – Saeed Khatibzadeh, the spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, condemned on Saturday a rocket attack on civilians in Kabul.

23 rockets hit Afghan capital, 8 civilians killed

A rocket barrage slammed into the heavily fortified Green Zone in Kabul, Afghanistan, where many embassies and international firms are based, killing at least eight civilians and wounding dozens more on Saturday.

Rocket lands inside Iran embassy in Kabul, causes no injuries

TEHRAN – A rocket hit Iran’s embassy in Afghanistan on Saturday morning, causing no fatalities, the Iranian embassy said in a tweet following the attack.

Afghanistan expresses appreciation for Iran’s support for peace

TEHRAN – The Acting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan, Mohammed Haneef Atmar, has appreciated Iran’s support for the peace process in his country during a meeting with Ebrahim Taherian Fard, the special envoy of Iran's foreign minister for Afghanistan.

Pentagon announces partial withdrawal from Afghanistan – 2,500 troops to remain

The U.S. will withdraw 500 troops from Iraq and 2,000 from Afghanistan before President Donald Trump leaves office, leaving around 2,500 soldiers in each country, Acting Secretary of Defense Chris Miller has announced.

Tehran, Kabul make ‘significant’ progress in finalizing comprehensive document

TEHRAN – As two neighbors Afghanistan and Iran have made considerable progress in finalizing a document that will ensure comprehensive cooperation between the two countries, according to a statement issued by Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry.

Pakistan PM Imran Khan to visit Kabul for first time

Pakistan Prime Minister, Imran Khan is to visit Kabul in the ongoing week amid stalled peace negotiations between the government and Taliban’ peace negotiation teams in Doha of Qatar.

U.S. exploiting Afghanistan’s situation, advisor says

Iran says backs UN to establish security, peace in Afghanistan

TEHRAN – Hossein Amir Abdollahian, a senior foreign policy advisor to the Iranian parliament speaker, has said Iran considers Afghanistan’s security as its own security, emphasizing that the United States is taking advantage of the situation in Afghanistan.

Iranian, UN envoys hold talks over Afghanistan

TEHRAN – Bahador Aminian, Iran’s ambassador to Afghanistan, met with Deborah Lyons, the UN secretary-general’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, to discuss the latest developments in Afghanistan before she pays a visit to Iran.

Velayati condemns Kabul University attack as a cowardly act

TEHRAN — Ali Akbar Velayati, a top foreign policy adviser to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, has strongly denounced a deadly terror attack on Kabul University.

Army chief blames foreign powers as chief culprit for regional crises

TEHRAN – Iran’s Army Chief said on Saturday that foreign powers are the chief causes of crises in the region, citing calamities in Yemen, Afghanistan, Syria and Palestine as examples.

Senior advisor reiterates Iran’s supports for peace in Afghanistan

TEHRAN – Ali Akbar Velayati, a top foreign policy adviser to the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, has said Iran opposes the continuation of war in Afghanistan and reiterated Tehran’s long-held position for establishment of peace and stability in the war-torn country.

Tehran sympathizes with Afghanistan over suicide bombing at education center

TEHRAN – Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh has expressed sympathy with the Afghan people and government over a suicide bombing at an education center in western Kabul.

Taliban ambush kills at least 25 Afghan security personnel

 At least 25 Afghan security force personnel were killed in an ambush blamed on the Taliban, officials said Wednesday, as spiraling violence imperils ongoing peace talks.

Abdullah Abdullah says Iran is “a good friend and neighbor of Afghanistan”

Rouhani: Trump abusing Afghan peace talks as election boost

TEHRAN — President Hassan Rouhani has warned that U.S. President Donald Trump is trying to abuse Afghanistan’s peace talks to reach his presidential election objectives.

Abdullah holds talks on Afghan peace process with Zarif, Ghalibaf

TEHRAN – Chairman of Afghan peace council Abdullah Abdullah, who is in Tehran to hold talks with top Iranian officials, held talks on Sunday with Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.

Abdullah Abdullah set to visit Tehran on Sunday

TEHRAN — Chairman of Afghan Peace Council Abdullah Abdullah is scheduled to arrive in Tehran on Sunday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said on Saturday.

Ashgabat exhibit featuring handicrafts, tourism potentials of Iran

TEHRAN – A select of handicrafts and tourism potentials of Iran are being showcased at an exhibition which opened its doors to the public in Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, on September 27, concurrent with the World Tourism Day.

Abdullah Abdullah to visit Iran

TEHRAN - Abdulla Abdullah, the head of Afghanistan’s peace council, plans to visit Iran after making a visit Islamabad, Pakistan.