China-Iran Cooperation in Afghan Reconstruction

Sept. 4, 2021 (EIRNS)—China aims to work with Iran in the reconstruction of their mutual neighbor Afghanistan, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian in a phone call yesterday. In the call to mark 50 years of diplomatic relations between them, Wang Yi and newly appointed Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian blamed the United States for conditions in Afghanistan, and committed their countries to helping rebuild the war-torn nation. “As Afghanistan’s neighbors, China and Iran need to strengthen communication and coordination and play a constructive role in achieving a smooth transition and peaceful reconstruction of Afghanistan,” Wang was quoted by the Chinese Foreign Ministry as saying.

Wang repeated calls for Afghanistan to cut ties with terror groups, and build friendly relations with other nations. Wang also accused the U.S. of withdrawing from Afghanistan so it could “concentrate its forces on China and Russia.” He said that “although the United States has withdrawn its troops from Afghanistan, it still has an inescapable responsibility for the peaceful reconstruction of Afghanistan and should not try by any means to make new troubles or even turmoil for Afghanistan, or undermine the legitimate rights and interests of its neighboring countries.”