Aliens' presence cause terrorist attacks on Afghan financial assets

New York, Dec 19, IRNA – Iran's Permanent Ambassador to UN said security in Afghanistan is security at Iran's borders, adding that the terrorist groups' pretext for attacks against people and financial resources of the country is the alien forces' presence. In his speech in the UN Security Council session convened to consider the general situation in Afghanistan, Hossein Dehqani said that Iran, considering its deep cultural and historical ties with Afghanistan wants a calm and prosperous country in its neighborhood. He continued that Iran is deeply concerned about the continuation and escalation of violence in Afghanistan and has always condemned all violent attacks by Taliban, al-Qaeda and the other radical groups against the innocent people and infrastructure facilites of Afghanistan. 'Unfortunately, during the past several years the presence of foreign military forces and violent terrorist activities of radical groups had created a vicious cycle, with horrible consequences for the Afghan people,' said Dehqani. He added that that is because the radical and terrorist groups resort to the pretext of the presence of alien forces in Afghanistan to justify the expansion of their violent operations and attacks against the human and financial resources of the country. Dehqani underlined that security and development are elements which reciprocally strengthen each other, adding that peace and security provide the necessary and basic ground for the renovation, presentation of humanitarian aids and sustainable development in Afghanistan. The Iranian diplomat continued that the Iranian government is always ready for expansion of bilateral ties, especially in security affairs, campaign against narcotics, development of projects, cooperation in constuction of infrastructure facilities, agricultural activities and finding a solution for the Afghan refugees. Dehqani said that Iran would welcome every regional initiative aimed at expansion of regional cooperation at the service of achieving prosperity, stability and development of Afghanistan and the whole region. The Iranian ambassador expressed concern about the increasing poppy cultivation in Afghanistan and considered the issue as a serious threat for the whole region and the world. He proposed that the international community should support the trilateral initiative on fight against narcotics among Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan, because it is necessary, not only to strengthen security and stability in Afghanistan, but also a factor leading to decreasing concerns in neighboring, transit route and distant states./end