US occupation of Afghanistan brought nothing but death and destruction: Khatibzadeh

Iran says the 20-year-long American occupation of Afghanistan brought “nothing but death and destruction” to the country, reaffirming its support for the neighboring Afghan nation in its efforts to achieve calm and stability following the US military’s withdrawal.

According to Press TV, in a tweet on Tuesday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh termed the US military’s pullout from the war-ravaged country “a historic opportunity” for the Afghan leadership to put an end to the cycle of violence and form an “inclusive government.”

At his weekly press briefing on Monday, Khatibzadeh asserted that Iran was ready to facilitate intra-Afghan talks to help pave the way for the formation of an inclusive government there.

“We have always stood by the people of Afghanistan and our priority has been to ensure peace, stability and progress in Afghanistan,” he said, describing Afghanistan as a “dear neighbor.”

Support to Afghanistan

Last week, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei reiterated Iran’s support to Afghanistan, while referring to it as a “brotherly country, with the same language, religion, and culture.”

“Governments come and go. What remains is the Afghan nation,” the Leader declared, while slamming the US as “the source of Afghanistan’s crises.”

In his remarks on Monday, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian also denounced the US misdeeds and missteps in Afghanistan.

SS