US suffers lack of clear strategy in region: Iranian envoy

Iran’s Ambassador to Kabul Fada Hossein Maleki says lack of a “clear strategy” is the main reason behind the military defeats of the West and the US in the region.

The Iranian ambassador held separate meetings with Afghan Vice President Marshal Fahim, second Vice President Abdul Karim Khalili and Foreign Minister Zalmai Rasoul.

He pointed to the complication of the security situation in the region and the failure of the US policies and added that Washington and its allies have sustained heavy damages and lost their political prestige among regional countries.

Maleki emphasized that covert talks between the US and Taliban and the opening of an office for the militant group in Doha, Qatar, with Washington’s financial and political support show a stalemate in the West’s strategy.

The US opening of the Taliban office in Doha proved that Americans merely intend to serve their own interests and to improve the current government’s position for the next presidential election in the country. This is while the Afghan government and nation should be the focal point of talks, the Iranian diplomat pointed out.

Top US officials have reportedly held several rounds of secret talks with the Taliban as part of Washington’s strategy of withdrawing its troops from Afghanistan by the end of 2014.

Last month, the Taliban confirmed they have reached a preliminary agreement with Washington to set up a liaison office in Qatar. Washington has so far maintained secrecy about the talks and countries from which the Taliban are heading to Qatar.