The Kabul-based Iran embassy said that establishing a regional contact group is aimed at cooperating with the Islamic Emirate.

Speaking at the 40th anniversary of Iran’s Islamic Revolution at the embassy, the country’s ambassador and special representative for Afghanistan said that Afghanistan is a focus of the international community.

“The first and foremost goal of the contact group is to provide cooperation with the current government in Afghanistan to achieve security and political stability and also to help the country for the betterment of the economy,” said Hassan Kazemi Qomi, the ambassador and special envoy of Iran for Afghanistan.

Hassan Kazemi Qomi accused the US of preventing the development of Afghanistan during their twenty-year presence in the country and said that Washington paid no attention to the development and infrastructure of Afghanistan.

The Iranian diplomat said that Afghanistan with its ample of resources, has the potential to meet not only its own needs but the needs of other countries as well.
According to him, Tehran has inked good economic and trade agreements with the caretaker government of Afghanistan.

“Afghanistan and Iran have potential capacity in the areas of industry, technology, transit, mines, agriculture, water, and energy. The countries, as big economies can meet each other’s needs,” said Hassan Kazemi Qomi, the ambassador and special envoy of Iran for Afghanistan.

The political deputy for the foreign ministry of the Islamic Emirate, who took part in the gathering, praised the bilateral relations between Kabul and Tehran and said that the Afghan government wants to strengthen engagement with the neighboring countries and the world.

“The Islamic Emirate wants to strengthen its engagement with the region particularly Iran and the rest of the world. We insist on the continuation of such engagement in the areas of security, economy and culture,” said Shir Muhammad Abbas Stanikzai, the deputy foreign minister of the Islamic Emirate.

Hassan Kazemi Qomi also said that Iran has always supported peace, stability and the fight against terrorism in Afghanistan and that Afghanistan’s many issues are still at the top of Tehran’s agenda.