The Ministry of National Defense of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has rejected recent accusations made by Pakistani officials following a deadly attack at a mosque in Islamabad, calling them “irresponsible” and “baseless.”

Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif wrote on X that preliminary findings suggest the suicide bomber had been on the move to and from Afghanistan.

According to the Afghan Defense Ministry, Pakistan’s defense minister “immediately and irresponsibly” blamed Afghanistan for the attack without conducting proper investigations. Afghan authorities noted that this pattern has been repeated in the past, particularly regarding incidents in Balochistan and other security events inside Pakistan.

The ministry stated that linking such attacks to Afghanistan “has no logic or foundation,” adding that these statements cannot hide Pakistan’s internal security failures or help solve the underlying problems.

“If they were truly able to identify the perpetrators immediately after the incident, then why were they unable to prevent it beforehand?” the statement asked.

The Afghan government emphasized its commitment to Islamic values, stating it does not consider harm against innocent civilians permissible under any circumstances and does not support those involved in illegal acts.

The statement urged Pakistani security officials to take responsibility for their internal security shortcomings, review their policies, and adopt a more constructive and cooperative approach toward both their own citizens and neighboring countries.

Iran’s foreign minister on Friday described talks with the United States in Oman as a “good start,” saying the negotiations “can also have a good continuation,” Iranian state media reported.

The discussions, mediated by Oman, marked a resumption of nuclear diplomacy between Tehran and Washington. Iranian state media said the current round of talks concluded on Friday, with both delegations returning to their respective capitals.

Speaking to state media reporters in Muscat, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the talks’ progress depends on the U.S. and on decisions made in Tehran.

Araghchi said a “significant challenge” remains, citing a prevailing atmosphere of distrust. He said Iran’s priority is to overcome this distrust and then establish an agreed framework for the talks and the issues on the table.

He described the talks as a fresh round of dialogue after eight turbulent months that included a war, saying the accumulated distrust presents a major obstacle to negotiations.

“If this same approach and perspective are maintained by the other side, we can reach an agreed framework in future sessions,” Araghchi said, adding that he did not want to judge prematurely.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei also confirmed on the social media platform X that both sides agreed to continue talks and would decide the next round in consultation with their capitals.