US trying to destroy Afghan legal institutions: Spox

Kabul, Nov 25, IRNA – Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said in an interview with IRNA that Washington is clandestinely trying to destroy Afghanistan’s legal institutions with its irresponsible pullout to create room for its return to the country. Khatibzadeh said that the US is trying to leave Afghanistan in a way that once again the country gets stuck in armed conflict. He added that what the US has done in Afghanistan is that it invaded Afghanistan, killed its people and now it leaves behind an ominous heritage by destroying its legal institutions upon leaving – hoping that one day it will return to the country. The US, as an invader, must follow the international law and not to follow the "scorched earth policy" upon leaving, he said. Regarding the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and the continuation of armed conflict in the country under the circumstances that peace has not been reached, he said the fact is that Iran believes in real peace talks; all parties and groups in Afghanistan should be able to negotiate in a totally inter-Afghan process, adding that Iran tries its best for that to happen. Regarding the goal of his visit to Kabul, he said that Afghanistan is a high priority for Iran’s foreign policy and the ties between the two countries are based on good neighborliness. He said that officials of Iran and Afghanistan have regular visits to the other country, adding that a couple of days ago Afghanistan deputy foreign minister paid a visit to Tehran and discussed the comprehensive document on strategic cooperation between Iran and Afghanistan. He said that he had had a meeting with Chairman of Afghan Peace Council Abdullah Abdullah and discussed cultural and public diplomacy issues. He said that he was present in the meeting with Afghanistan deputy foreign minister to discuss bilateral issues, expansion of cultural and media and general diplomacy. Khatibzadeh added that Iran tries to be effective and help the peace process in Afghanistan. Iran is the only country that has focused on the agenda of Afghanistan to be respected as a credible political structure, he said, adding that the current regime of the White House tries its best to destroy the future of Afghanistan through clandestine deals, but Iran tries to help Afghanistan’s political structure survive, the rights of the minorities and religions be respected and what the people of Afghanistan have achieved with hardship to survive. All Iranian efforts aimed to ensure Iran and Afghanistan to have good relations, he said, adding that Iran and Afghanistan have had good ties for centuries; Iran has so warmly hosted millions of Afghans that many of them see Iran as their second home.