Iran's Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi Saturday ruled out the likelihood of any meeting with US Secretary of State Colin Powell on Nov. 12 at a top-level UN-sponsored meeting on Afghanistan in New York, according to Iran's official news agency (IRNA).
Press reports had quoted a UN Security Council diplomat as saying that the two officials would meet for the first time since the 1979 Islamic Revolution during a meeting of the so-called six-plus-two group, which comprises the six countries bordering Afghanistan, plus Russia and the US.
Meanwhile, AFP reported that UN special representative to Afghanistan Lakhdar Brahimi arrived in Tehran Saturday for talks on the war in Afghanistan.
Citing the UN office in Tehran, the agency said that Brahimi, who traveled from Pakistan, was due to remain in the country for three days, during which he would meet with Iranian President Mohammad Khatami.
This is Brahmi's first visit since the US-led air strikes on Afghanistan began on Oct. 7.
Iran, which does not recognize Afghanistan's ruling Taliban militia, but rather the government of deposed president Burhanuddin Rabbani, has condemned those strikes, saying they will result in a "human catastrophe."
Most of the UN agencies have a presence in Iran, notably the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, which has repeatedly called for Iran to open its borders to Afghan refugees.
Iran closed its 900 kilometer (560 mile) border with Afghanistan before the air strikes began.
It is attempting to provide aid to refugees through camps built in "no man's land" on the Afghan side of the two countries' border.
The only exceptions to the closed door policy are for orphans and people in need of hospitalization, said the agency – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
