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Tehran summons Afghan envoy over incidents at diplomatic missions
Iran on Tuesday summoned Afghanistan’s chargé d’affaires in Tehran to protest attacks on Iranian diplomatic missions in Kabul and Herat.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry said consular services at diplomatic missions in Afghanistan would cease their operations until full security is assured, Anadolu Agency reported.
The ministry urged Afghan authorities to take action against those who attacked its diplomatic missions in Kabul and the western city of Herat.
On Monday, dozens of people gathered outside the Iranian Embassy in Kabul, hurling stones and smashing security cameras, according to local reports.
The Iranian Consulate in Herat was also targeted on Monday by angry protesters, apparently not happy with treatment being meted out to Afghan refugees in Iran.
As per reports, the angry mob tried to barge inside the consulate building but the attempt was thwarted by guards and Afghan security forces, who opened fire in the air.
On Monday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh called on the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) authorities to ensure the security of Iran’s missions in the country.
“The full security of embassies and diplomatic missions of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Herat and other cities of Afghanistan must be observed and the necessary guarantees for the safe operation of these missions are necessary,” he told reporters in Tehran.
Last week, three Iranian clerics were stabbed by a 21-year-old man at the popular Rezavi shrine complex in Iran’s northeastern city of Mashhad. One of them died on the spot and another succumbed to his injuries later at a hospital.
While authorities in Mashhad did not reveal the identity of the assailant, local media said he was an Afghan national who had illegally come to Iran last year, Anadolu reported.
The videos of the incident went viral on social media, which were accompanied by videos showing the ill-treatment of Afghan refugees in Iran.
Referring to the stabbing incident, Khatibzdeh said videos were being circulated on social media to stoke tensions between the Iranian and Afghan peoples.
Iran plays host to some 4 million documented and undocumented Afghan refugees, 1 million of whom fled their native country after the IEA’s sweeping takeover last August.
Iranian Ambassador in Kabul, Bahador Aminian, has held a series of meetings with senior Afghan officials in recent months, including Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, to discuss the issue of refugees.
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Afghanistan now has unified central government: IEA defense minister
Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid, the Minister of Defense of the Islamic Emirate, says that Afghanistan currently has a unified central government, and that no groups engaging in destructive activities are present in the country. He added that they will not allow anyone to undermine the country’s security.
According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Defense, Mujahid made these remarks at a graduation ceremony for commandos of the Special Forces Division. The ceremony was attended by Khalifa Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Minister of Interior; several cabinet ministers; foreign ambassadors and military attachés; special representatives; and a number of officials and military personnel.
Addressing the commandos, Yaqoob Mujahid said: “In the service you perform, make the pleasure of Almighty Allah your sole intention, because Almighty Allah will reward you for such an intention in this world and the hereafter. There is now a unified central government in the country, and no groups engaging in destructive activities are present. We will also not allow anyone to undermine security.”
He also added: “I assure our people that these forces will defend the lives, property, and territory of their beloved country with full courage and wisdom. I tell all foreign countries that Afghanistan is now secure, and there is no enemy in this country, whether from within or outside, that poses a threat to others.”
At the ceremony, Khalifa Sirajuddin Haqqani also said: “For half a century, Afghanistan did not have an independent army. However, now, it has an organized army and other security forces. You are not a ceremonial army, nor do you operate to serve the interests of others; rather, you are an organized and independent army. Although we may be materially weak, we are stronger than others in terms of morale and spirituality. We must maintain high morale, avoid acting emotionally in military affairs, and respond to the enemy at the appropriate time. We are not a threat to anyone; rather, we are defenders of our own land.”
It is worth noting that 1,000 young commandos of the Special Forces Division of the Ministry of Defense graduated from the eighth training course after completing six months of professional, ideological, and commando training.
During the ceremony, the graduating commandos, in cooperation with the Air Force, demonstrated coordinated practical and military exercises using various types of unmanned aircraft.
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Baradar approves action plan for establishing special economic zones
The action plan for establishing special economic zones across the country was approved on Wednesday by Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs.
According to a decree issued by the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Emirate, these special economic zones will be established in the provinces of Kabul, Balkh, Nangarhar, Kandahar, Herat, Paktia, and Kunduz.
Under the plan, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, in cooperation with other relevant ministries and government agencies, will identify the land required for these zones, determine the necessary sectoral activities and services, and create the conditions needed to attract investment.
The establishment of these special economic zones is aimed at attracting new investments, achieving a relative balance between exports and imports, and expanding production activities in a suitable environment, paving the way for a new phase of economic development in the country.
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Russian deputy prime minister to visit Kabul with high-level economic delegation
The visit aims to strengthen economic and trade relations between Afghanistan and Russia, explore investment opportunities and discuss potential joint economic projects.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk is scheduled to visit Kabul on Thursday, leading a high-level economic delegation, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced.
According to a statement by the ministry, the visit aims to strengthen economic and trade relations between Afghanistan and Russia, explore investment opportunities and discuss potential joint economic projects.
The visit is expected to provide an opportunity for officials from both countries to discuss ways of expanding bilateral economic cooperation and identifying new areas for trade and investment.
The ministry did not provide further details about the delegation’s programme or the specific projects expected to be discussed during the visit.
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