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Iranian FM urges fair burden-sharing on Afghan crisis
Speaking at a four-party meeting with China, Pakistan, and Russia on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Araghchi said Iran has shouldered the heavy responsibility of hosting millions of Afghan nationals, often “with little or insufficient international assistance”.
He stressed that the burden has imposed billions of dollars in costs on Iran’s economy and security, while the country itself faces “the most severe unilateral sanctions, in violation of international law”.
“We have sought to ensure that the return of Afghan nationals takes place with full respect for their dignity. However, it should not be expected that Iran bears this burden alone,” he said.
Turning to security concerns, Araghchi warned that the continuing presence of extremist and terrorist groups in Afghanistan remains a serious threat to neighbors and the wider region. He urged the Taliban authorities to take “transparent, verifiable, and decisive measures” against such dangers.
The minister cautioned that sanctions should not become a tool to block Afghanistan’s economic recovery or legitimate engagement with Kabul. “We reiterate that Afghanistan’s assets frozen abroad must be released unconditionally to revive the country’s economic stability and serve the Afghan people,” he said.
Araghchi reaffirmed Tehran’s firm adherence to the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of states and voiced support for the inherent right of the Afghan people to determine their own political, economic, and social future, in line with the UN Charter and recognized norms of international law.
He delivered a sharp rebuke of Washington’s record in Afghanistan. “US intervention and two decades of military presence brought nothing but misery and insecurity,” he said, adding that the 2021 withdrawal was “not an end to responsibility but rather a disgraceful retreat that left Afghanistan and its neighbors to face the consequences.” He stressed: “The fact is that the United States and NATO remain responsible for many of the challenges Afghanistan and the region are facing today.”
Araghchi reiterated that Tehran categorically rejects any foreign political or military interference and any exploitation of Afghanistan’s plight for geopolitical purposes. Above all, he warned, “the re-establishment of foreign military bases inside or around Afghanistan would violate its sovereignty, threaten regional peace and security, and fuel extremism and instability.”