Alwaght- Iran’s deputy ambassador to the UN voiced Tehran’s concern about the growth of terrorist groups including ISIS in neighboring Afghanistan.
Gholam-Hossein Dehqani based on a United Nation’s report which highlights armed conflict in Afghanistan currently stands at its highest level since 2001 said: “Afghanistan continues to face major security, political, and economic challenges,” according to Iran-based Press TV.
He expressed concern over a rise in the activities of ISIS in Afghanistan as well as the emergence there of affiliated outfits like ISIS-Khorasan, the so-called “Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan,” and “East Turkestan Islamic Movement.”
Failure to seriously confront these groups, Dehqani said, would mean that we should expect a more troubled future.
Iran’s deputy ambassador to the UN referred to Iran’s efforts for completing 300 Afghanistan-based projects besides offering Afghan expatriates numerous educational opportunities, and most recently signing a tripartite agreement with India in order to facilitate trade.
The deal, he said links Afghanistan to the southern Iran port of Chabahar, thus connecting the landlocked country to open seas.
“Consider the development of economic cooperation with Afghanistan a preamble toward peace and security" in the Central Asian country, he stated.
The Takfiri group, which is mainly based in Iraq and Syria, has managed to make inroads in Afghanistan. The Afghan province of Nangarhar bordering Pakistan has been the area where ISIS has gained a foothold.
ISIS has reportedly managed to establish connections with Taliban's splinter groups, especially those believed to be discontent with changes in Taliban’s leadership.
The Takfiri group has also enjoyed defections from al-Qaeda in Afghanistan although the latter's leader Ayman al-Zawahiri has pledged allegiance to Taliban's new leader Haibatullah Akhundzada.
