Zarif calls for expansion of Iran-Afghan cooperation on water issue

EghtesadOnline: Visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Iran and Kabul could cooperate in the field of water and environment protection.

News ID: ۷۷۶۱۱۳

10 May 2017

Zarif made the remarks in a joint press conference attended by his Afghan counterpart Salahuddin Rabbani in Kabul.

The top Iranian diplomat called for fostering cooperation between the two countries on water issue, stressing that the settlement of the issue will be beneficial for the two countries' environments, IRNA reported.

He also expressed the hope that his visit to Afghanistan could pave the ground for the expansion of mutual cooperation between the two countries.

Zarif underlined that Iran and Afghanistan could also cooperate in the fields of tackling terrorism and narcotics in the international society.

'I assure the Afghan government and nation that Iran has always stood by people in the international community,' he added.

Condemning the recent terrorist attacks against the Afghan people, Zarif expressed his deepest sympathy with the people affected by the terror attacks.

He also called for expansion of relations with Afghanistan in the fields of combatting terrorism, violence and drug trafficking.

The foreign minister reiterated that the two countries enjoy huge capacities for fighting terrorism, violence, human and drug trafficking, and said that the expansion of bilateral relations will serve the interests of the two counties and the entire world.

The Iranian foreign minister said currently three million legal and illegal Afghan immigrants are dwelling in Iran and 17,000 of them are studying at the Iranian schools and educational centers.

Rabbani, for his part, said the regional countries should cut off the financial supports for the terrorist groups and prevent them from being further armed.

Afghan foreign minister described his meeting with Zarif as fruitful, and added that the ways for reinforcement of political, economic and transit cooperation were discussed during the meeting.

He went on to say that Muslim countries should fight against terrorism without dividing them into good and bad terrorists.

“If we do not destroy the safe havens of terrorism, the sustainable regional security could not be established in the region,” Rabbani added.

Zarif, heading a high-ranking political delegation, arrived in the Afghan capital on Sunday morning.