“The experience of years of deep relations between the Iranian and Afghan nations in time of crisis, war, peace and security shows that their link is unbreakable,” Araqchi said Wednesday.
He added that having a common border and cultural ties means that the “progress of Afghanistan is the progress of Iran and vice versa.”
Araqchi said that while Iran has always been in favor of rebuilding Afghanistan, this can only happen if there is security in the country.
On Sunday, Hossein Sheikholeslam, an adviser to Iran Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani, said Tehran is ready to hold talks with Washington over the planned 2014 US withdrawal from Afghanistan.
The official pointed out that Tehran is ready to hold talks with “Americans in Afghanistan with Afghans present, to assure them that we do not intend to take their (Americans) place in Afghanistan or take advantage of their absence.”
Iran has been playing a helping role in Afghanistan. The Islamic Republic has so far spent over 600 million dollars on building hospitals, schools, bridges, roads and railways in the country.
The Iranian government has at various occasions expressed concern over the US double-standard policies on the so-called war on terror in Afghanistan.
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