U.S. military presence in Afghanistan destabilizes region: Iranian FM

KABUL, Afghanistan,June 16(MNA) – The Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi warned an international conference in Kabul on Thursday that a long-term U.S. military presence in Afghanistan would fan regional insecurity and could plunge the war-torn country back into further turmoil. Salehi said the Kabul-Washington strategic partnership deal added to security concerns among Afghanistan's neighbors. "A particular country intends to prolong its military presence in Afghanistan in pursuit of its extra regional objectives. This certainly adds to the security concerns of Afghanistan's neighboring countries," Salehi told representatives from 29 countries who had gathered in Kabul for the conference. The top Iranian diplomat said the strategic pact and efforts to establish foreign military bases in Afghanistan ran against regional and international moves to achieve peace, and "could turn this country once again into scene of security rivalries." U.S. military sources say they envisage around 15,000 forces remaining in Afghanistan after the 2014 withdrawal, according to AFP. Afghan President Hamid Karzai asked neighboring and international powers to invest in his impoverished country. "Support from these global powers and our neighbors is very important to Afghanistan and to the continued progress of Afghanistan towards stability and economic development," Karzai told delegates. Iran is suspicious of U.S. intentions In a meeting with the Iranian foreign minister on the sidelines of the one-day conference, President Karzai said he is aware of Iran’s concerns about the partnership deal but Afghanistan will never allow its land to be used against neighboring countries. Salehi said, “In regard to Americans’ long history of military intervention in other countries we do not consider their intentions honest and this is a source of worry for us.” Elsewhere in his talks, Salehi said there is a bright prospect for relations between Iran and Afghanistan and said Iran is ready to implement development projects in Afghanistan. Karzai also accepted President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s invitation to participate in the Non-Aligned Movement summit in Tehran in late summer. President Karzai also described his country’s relations with Tehran as very good, saying “Tehran-Kabul ties have never been so friendly and growing.”