Hassan Kazemi Qomi, Iran's ambassador and special representative for Afghanistan, in separate meetings with Mawlawi Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid, the acting Minister of Defense, and Hamid Karzai, the former president of Afghanistan, discussed enhancing relations between Kabul and Tehran in various sectors.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Defense, Inayatullah Khwarazmi, stated that Hassan Kazemi Qomi, Iran's ambassador in Kabul, and Mawlawi Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid emphasized strengthening bilateral cooperation, especially in border-related matters, during their meeting.
Issues concerning Afghan refugees in Iran were also part of the discussion.
Regarding the meeting, the Ministry of Defense's spokesperson said: "In this meeting, the two sides exchanged views on strengthening friendly relations, good neighborliness, trade, border cooperation, and issues related to Afghan refugees. They also expressed their readiness to expand bilateral cooperation in various fields."
Meanwhile, the Iranian embassy in Kabul reported a meeting between Hassan Kazemi Qomi and Hamid Karzai, the former president of Afghanistan. The embassy mentioned that the two sides discussed Iran's cooperation with Afghanistan during this meeting.
The Iranian embassy’s statement also noted that Hamid Karzai, during the meeting, urged regional countries, especially Iran, to pay more attention to Afghanistan’s situation and to present a regional initiative aimed at addressing the challenges facing the Afghan people.
The statement added: "In his meeting with Kazemi Qomi, the special representative of the president and acting ambassador of Iran in Afghanistan, Karzai expressed his gratitude for the support of the Islamic Republic and called for greater attention from regional countries, particularly the Islamic Republic of Iran, to the Afghan issue and for presenting a regional initiative to resolve the problems of the Afghan people."
"The borders of Afghanistan's neighboring countries must be secure. Whether it is Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, or Uzbekistan, decisions should be made in consultation with each other and the Afghan government to benefit all neighboring countries," Hamidullah Hotak, a political analyst, told TOLOnews.
"Such meetings or dialogues can solve our fundamental challenges and share them with the international community so that existing gaps can be bridged through mediation," said Sayed Akbar Sial Wardak, a political analyst.
On Tuesday, the Iranian diplomat also met with the Deputy Prime Minister for Political Affairs and discussed the process of transferring Afghan prisoners from Iran, stating that Iran seeks to expand relations and cooperation with Afghanistan in political, economic, and cultural sectors.