“Terror expansion, insecurity maintenance main threats to Afghan peace”

Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani voices alarm at the spread of terrorism and insecurity in Afghanistan as the main threats facing the war-torn country’s peace and stability.

Shamkhani made the remarks in a Tuesday meeting with Chinese Minister of State Security Chen Wenqing on the sidelines of the second session of the Regional Security Dialogue with a focus on Afghanistan, which will open in Tehran on Wednesday.

“The spread of terrorism and attempts by some regional and extra-regional countries to preserve and manage insecurity in this country (Afghanistan) are top challenges threatening peace and stability in Afghanistan,” the top Iranian security official said.

US, Israel promoting Islamophobia, sowing discord: Shamkhani

Shamkhani also said on Tuesday that the United States and the Israeli regime are pursuing a strategy to promote Islamophobia, sow discord, wage wars and create crises in Muslim countries in the region.

In a meeting with Secretary of the Security Council of Tajikistan Mahmadali Vatanzoda, the SNSC secretary called for proper propagation of Islam as the best and most effective way to counter extremist and Takfiri ideologies.

Shamkhani also pointed to cultural, religious and linguistic commonalities between Iran and Tajikistan and said, “There is no limit to the expansion of bilateral ties and cooperation.”

He stressed the importance of strengthening bilateral cooperation to prevent the Daesh terror group’s possible rival and growth.

The senior Tajik security official, for his part, pointed to his country’s long common border with Afghanistan and said insecurity in that country would affect Tajikistan’s security.

An extremist terrorist group should not be allowed to cause insecurity and instability in Afghanistan and pose security challenges to the region in the name of Islam, Vatanzoda added.

National security advisers and secretaries from Iran, Russia, China, India, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan will take part at the day-long Tehran meeting.

According to the SNSC secretariat, the session will focus on the issue of Afghanistan and a comprehensive fight against various forms of terrorism in the country.

On the sidelines of the event, there will also be bilateral meetings between the national security advisers and secretaries attending the meeting.

The first session of Regional Security Dialogue was held in September last year with the participation of Iran, Russia, China, India and Afghanistan with the purpose of increasing coordination among regional countries against Takfiri terrorism.