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Russia and Iran call on new Afghan government to counter terrorism, says top diplomat

Sergey Lavrov emphasized that Russia and Iran shared the view that the Afghans, "who had been suffering from Washington's geopolitical experiments for two decades, had a legal right to prosperity and peace on their own land"

MOSCOW, October 6. /TASS/. Moscow and Tehran call on the Taliban (outlawed in Russia), which seized power in Afghanistan, to wage an uncompromising fight against terrorism, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated at a press conference following talks with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amirabdollahian on Wednesday.

"Afghanistan has to stop being a source of regional and global instability. We urge the new Afghan authorities to uncompromisingly fight against terrorist groups and the illegal drug and weapon trafficking," Lavrov said.

The top diplomat emphasized that Russia and Iran shared the view that the Afghans, "who had been suffering from Washington's geopolitical experiments for two decades, had a legal right to prosperity and peace on their own land." "We see ensuring the balance of all ethno-confessional and political groups, the principle of inclusiveness in the power structures as the guarantee of internal political stabilization," Lavrov noted.

The Taliban embarked on a large-scale operation to take control of Afghanistan after the US had announced its intention to withdraw its forces in the spring. On August 15, Taliban fighters swept into Kabul without encountering any resistance, with Afghanistan’s then President Ashraf Ghani subsequently fleeing the country. On September 6, the Taliban gained full control over Afghanistan, and on September 7, the radicals announced the new interim government.

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Sergey Lavrov Russian Foreign Ministry Afghanistan Iran

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