The Iranian Special Representative and Ambassador to Kabul, Hassan Kazemi Qomi, met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the sidelines of the UN’s two-day meeting in Doha, Qatar on Tuesday.
In the meeting, according to Iran’s Embassy in Kabul, Qomi stressed that the Afghanistan crisis could only be resolved with the support of the United Nations and through regional cooperation.
Iranian Embassy in Kabul further stated that “the importance of the UN’s constructive role in solving the crisis and maintaining its independence in decision-making was emphasized in the meeting.”
On Monday and Tuesday, the United Nations held a closed-door meeting in Doha with the special representatives of countries involved in Afghanistan affairs.
Following the conclusion of the meeting, UN Chief stated in a press conference that the objective of the meeting was to develop a common international approach to Afghanistan, rather than to recognize the de facto Taliban authorities.
Guterres emphasized that all attendees agreed on the necessity of an engagement strategy for the stability of Afghanistan, and expressed serious concerns about the country’s current state. “To achieve our objectives, we cannot disengage,” UN Secretary-General said, “Many called for engagement to be more effective and based on lessons which we have learned from the past.”
“The UN will continue to use its convening power to advance a forward leaning approach, which puts the Afghan people first, and in a manner that is complementary to existing regional platforms and initiatives,” he added.
The UN Chief also highlighted the “significant” presence of terrorist organizations in Afghanistan, which poses a threat to both Afghanistan and the region. Additionally, the lack of an inclusive government and restrictions on women’s rights in Afghanistan were other pressing concerns discussed by the participants of the Doha meeting.
