India, Iran reject Islamic Emirate's return to Afghanistan

Afghan children celebrate in anticipation of the U.S-Taliban agreement to allow a U.S. troop reduction and a permanent ceasefire, in Jalalabad, Afghanistan February 28, 2020. Picture taken February 28, 2020. [Reuters]

India and Iran say Afghanistan would not go backwards regarding return of the Islamic Emirate used by Taliban in their five-year-long rule on Kabul, reports Afghanistan Times.

"We need to put our differences aside and focus on our commons including the reality that the Islamic Emirate is an existential threat against Pakistan and a national security threat for Iran and India," said Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar said that New Delhi was not Pakistan's rival on Afghanistan. "This is an illusion to think that what India does in Afghanistan indirectly targets Pakistan. These words harm India's efforts in Afghanistan," Jaishankar said.

Both the countries said that it would be impossible for Afghanistan to return to the totalitarian Islamic state established in September 1996, when the Taliban began their governance of Afghanistan after the fall of Kabul.

Hamdullah Moheb, National Security Adviser for President Ashraf Ghani, said that Taliban are shouting for victory after the talk with Kabul began, which was unpleasant for everyone, reported Afghanistan Times.

"If we are must to sign peace treaty with Taliban, this should include all these groups, not only Mulllah Baradar. The peace agreement should include Mullah Yaqoob, Mullah Haibatullah, the Haqqani network and the Helmand group," said Moheb.

A survey launched by the media outlets think that the US withdrawal would be followed by internal war, reported Afghanistan Times.

Earlier on April 16th, US President Joe Biden officially announced that the 2,500 American troops in Afghanistan would be withdrawn by September 11. The pullout is expected to start by May 1.