Taliban visits to Iran, Russia seem rumor: Agha

JALALABAD (Pajhwok): A former Taliban official on Saturday said Taliban delegates’ visits to Iran and Russia seemed rumors but it was the movement’s ‘legitimate right’ to have diplomatic relations.

Russia’s special envoy in Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov has recently acknowledged establishing contact with Taliban and also assisting the rebels.

Similarly, the Taliban have also admitted having political ties with Russia, Iran and other countries.

Former Taliban official Akbar Agha, who heads the Afghanistan Salvage Party which has started efforts at reviving peace talks between Taliban and the Afghan government, was talking to Pajhwok Afghan News during a visit to eastern Nangarhar province.

Agha said they started the peace mission three years ago and had visited all provinces to muster support of tribal elders, influential figures and religious scholars.

He said they organized a big gathering in Kabul about a week ago to practically start work on the advises and opinions so far collected from elders, influential figures and religious leaders about peace making.

The former justice minister said all individuals in their group had no connection with both the warring sides and people had trust in them.

He said ending the war was dependent on the nation as if the nation stood and worked for peace, the conflict would resolve.

The former Guantanamo Bay detainee said they had talked to both the Taliban and the government about their proposals and both the sides had expressed their willingness to attend transparent talks.

To a question about Taliban’s latest contacts with Iran and Russia, Akbar Agha said the rebels had the right to maintain political ties with foreign countries. However, he did not believe the Taliban had established contacts with Russia and Iran.

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