Iran reiterated its stand on Thursday on broad-based government in Afghanistan and condemned the Taliban for blowing up the statues of Buddhas, reported Dawn newspaper.
Speaking at a press conference along with Pakistani Foreign Minister Abdus Sattar at the Foreign Office, Hassan Rouhani, Secretary of the Supreme Council of National Security of Iran, described Afghanistan as a complex issue and said there was a need to develop a proper mechanism to bring back stability.
"There cannot be a military solution to the problem," said Dr Rouhani, who also described extremism in Afghanistan as dangerous.
"Pakistan and Iran agree on the need for a broad-based government in Afghanistan, ceasefire, end of extremism and supply of weapons from outside to the warring factions," he said.
While quoting a verse from the Holy Quran about respecting other religions, he made a strong statement against the Taliban for blowing up the centuries old Buddha statues.
"We condemn them for this action," he said.
Foreign Minister Abdus Sattar, when asked whether Pakistan believed Iran was supplying weapons to the Afghani opposition forces of Ahmad Shah Masood, regretted that the United Nations Security Council resolution 1333 on Afghanistan put a discriminatory ban on arms supplies to the Taliban.
"The Afghanistan issue has been discussed (with the Iranian visitor) in all its facets. We agree that the events in the country are casting a long shadow over the whole region and particularly on Pakistan-Iran relations. There has to be reconciliation among all the parties. Instead of fuelling the conflict, we must promote stability," he said – Albawaba.com
