Iran first VP warns of Daesh relocation to Afghanistan

Iran's First Vice President Es'haq Jahangiri has warned that the Daesh Takfiri group may seek to transfer its terrorists to Afghanistan against the backdrop of its consecutive defeats in Iraq and Syria, urging the Afghan government to remain vigilant in the face of such a plot.

Jahangiri, who is in Uzbekistan to attend the 18th meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), made the remarks in a meeting with Afghanistan’s chief executive Abdullah Abdullah on Friday.

"Afghanistan's government should show great sensitivity in this regard and prevent efforts by Daesh terrorist group to increase insecurity along the borders," he added.

On October 27, US President Donald Trump announced that Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of Daesh, had blown himself up after American forces trapped him inside a dead-end tunnel in a village in Syria.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei in January last year expressed regret over the deaths of Afghan civilians in terrorist attacks by Daesh, saying the United States has been relocating the terror group from the Middle East to the South Asian country to rationalize its military presence in the region.

PressTV-‘US relocating Daesh to Afghanistan to justify presence’

Ayatollah Khamenei says the US is seeking to legitimize its presence in the region by moving the terrorists from Iraq and Syria to Afghanistan.

By transferring the Daesh terror group from Iraq and Syria to Afghanistan, the US seeks “to justify the continuation of its presence in the region and to create security for the Zionist regime,” Ayatollah Khamenei said.

Read more:

• Daesh not over, US relocating it: Iran’s Zarif
• Iranian Parliament committee calls for pre-emptive UN action on Daesh relocation
• 'US moving terror groups to Afghanistan after Iraq, Syria defeats'

Elsewhere in the meeting, the Iranian vice president pointed to recent presidential election in Afghanistan and expressed hope that the country would witness more development after the establishment of the legal and popular government.

He added that the election was an "important step towards democracy" and expressed hope that ongoing problems would be solved in Afghanistan as soon as possible and security would be restored to the country through vigilance of Afghan authorities.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran, like in the past, will support the government elected by the Afghan nation," Jahangiri said.

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• Both Afghan presidential rivals claim victory, heading for potential political gridlock
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Pointing to an agreement signed among Iran, Afghanistan and India in 2016 to boost trade and economic cooperation in Iran's Chabahar Port, Jahangiri said, "Both state sector and private sector are ready to make investment and carry out necessary measures in this regard."

He urged Kabul and New Delhi to play a more active role in implementing the agreement. "Chabahar can pave the way for India's connection and interaction with Central Asia and be a gate for Afghanistan to connect to important countries in the world."

In May 2016, Iran, India and Afghanistan signed a key trilateral deal, known as the Chabahar agreement, to establish a strategic transit and transport route connecting the three countries.

Tehran, New Delhi, Kabul ink transit deal

Iran, India and Afghanistan sign the key Chabahar transit agreement in Tehran.

The agreement was signed in the presence of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in the Iranian capital of Tehran.

Read more:

• Iran reiterates support for Afghanistan peace process led by govt.
• Iran supports peace process, democracy in Afghanistan: Deputy FM
• Zarif stresses peace, stability promotion in Afghanistan, pledges Iran's support for Afghans

The Afghan chief executive, for his part, said the Daesh terrorist group seeks to expand its activities in east Afghanistan and stressed the importance of thwarting such a plot through collective cooperation.

Abdullah added that Tehran and Kabul enjoy growing trade and economic relations and expressed hope the two sides would finalize an agreement for comprehensive cooperation after the announcement of the final election result and the establishment of a new government in Afghanistan.

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