Afghanistan Times
Related Articles
AT News Report
KABUL: Parliamentarians and political analysts express concerns over the fresh escalation of Iran-US tensions as a new threat for Afghanistan.
In a latest move, the United States on Monday announced that it designates Iran’s powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in the list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations, a move followed by quick reaction from Tehran that called US Central Command (CENTCOM) as a terrorist group. The CENTCOM covers 25 countries from the Central Asia to the Middle East.
The parliament’s commission for international relations believes that such escalations would undoubtedly affect Afghanistan, with Dawood Kalakani, deputy of the commission saying that Afghanistan “should not be used as a jumping board” for the neighboring and world states.
Iranian officials had earlier threatened that the US soldiers deployed in the Middle East, would lose security if Trump administration designates the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in terrorist list.
“The escalation between Iran and America will affect Afghanistan from political, security, economic and other prospects. So, these tensions are not in favor of Afghanistan and the region,” Kalakani said Tuesday.
As a neighboring country, Afghanistan shares several ties with Iran, while the US is a strategic partner for Kabul and has helped Afghanistan in reconstruction.
“Maintaining balance between Iran and the United States is more necessary than any other states. Iran is our neighbor and the US is our strategic ally. Thus, Afghanistan’s diplomacy needs to keep balance in relations with Tehran and Washington,” said Qodratollah Zwak, a political analyst.
The government has frequently assured that Afghan soil would not be used by any country against others.
