Iran’s envoy tells UN: U.S. Afghan bases threaten regional security

TEHRAN, Dec. 21 (MNA) – The Iranian ambassador to the United Nations has said that U.S. military bases in Afghanistan pose a serious threat to regional security. Ambassador Mohammad Khazaii made the remarks during a speech at a meeting of the UN Security Council in New York on Monday in reference to the recent violation of Iran’s airspace by a U.S. spy drone, which had entered the country from Afghanistan, and the recent arrest of a CIA-linked spy, who had been identified upon arriving at the U.S. Bagram base in Afghanistan. In his speech, Khazaii said, “We have always warned about the negative consequences of the presence of foreign forces in Afghanistan and the concerns that the neighboring countries of Afghanistan have about the real intentions behind such presence.” “The longer presence of foreign military forces in whatever form and under whatever justifications, would not only bring peace and stability in Afghanistan, rather it would provide a breeding ground for the terrorists and extremist groups to further continue their operations,” he added. The Iranian ambassador also said, “The other issue is the continuation and increase in the cultivation of narcotic drugs, which is still the most serious challenges not only for Afghanistan, but those en route of drug trafficking and the countries of destination.” “This menace has hindered the advancement of the country towards development and has put at risk the social cohesion of Afghanistan along with its neighbors. Moreover, narcotic drugs, as the financial source of terrorism in Afghanistan, has worked as another breeding ground for terrorists, extremists and illegal groups who attempt to destabilize the Afghan Government,” he added. “Another issue is the long-standing problem of Afghan refugees. We look forward to the planned international conference in the spring of 2012 to be held with the participation of Iran, Afghanistan and aimed at exploring a comprehensive long term strategy in resolving the issue of refuges. We hope that this conference would lead us to concrete and substantive outcomes that can offer real solutions,” he stated. Khazaii added, “We have hosted on average 3 million Afghan nationals over the past three decades. At present, more than 1 million Afghan refugees are registered in Iran, while a greater number of unregistered Afghans are also living in our country. For all these years, Afghan nationals have continued to enjoy Iran’s educational and welfare facilities among others and to benefit from the same subsidies that Iranian nationals receive. We urge again the international community, to continue to strengthen and expedite its efforts in creating the conditions conducive for the sustainable repatriation of refugees and their full rehabilitation and reintegration in their homeland.”