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Iran ready for role in Afghanistan

DUBAI: Iran has expressed its readiness to support efforts aimed at improving security and economic development of Afghanistan. Asked to comment on host Italy’s invitation to Iran for participation in a G-8 meeting on Afghanistan in the city of Trieste on June 27, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Hassan Qashqavi said the response to Italy was positive, the Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA) reported.

On Tuesday, visiting Presidents from Afghanistan and Pakistan, Hamid Karzai and Asif Ali Zardari, had sought a positive response from Tehran on Iran’s participation in international diplomacy to resolve the Afghan crisis. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had earlier said Iran would be invited to an international conference on Afghanistan to be held at month-end.

Commenting on Iran’s position on the approach adopted towards Afghanistan by the new Obama administration, Mr. Qashqavi said Tehran would study whether Washington would solely depend upon military force or also consider political options to tackle the Afghan situation.

He pointed out that Iran was patiently waiting for the U.S. pledge on change to be accomplished. He added that Iran was neither pessimistic nor optimistic about U.S. foreign policy as the Obama administration was still experiencing its first 100 days in office.

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