Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman announced on Monday, November 2, that Tehran is planning to host another quadrilateral meeting on Afghanistan in the coming months. Esmail Baghaei stated that regional developments have not distracted Iran from the importance of processes related to Afghanistan and its role in regional security.
During his weekly press conference, Mr. Baghaei added that Iranian foreign ministry officials have been following up on the Afghanistan issue during their regional trips, including to Turkey and Pakistan. He said that consultations to continue this process also took place on the sidelines of the Moscow Format meeting in October.
The spokesman, referring to regional meetings held in October such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, the quadrilateral meeting, and the Moscow Format, said that Tehran is seriously following the developments in Afghanistan. He did not provide further details about the exact date of the upcoming quadrilateral meeting or the level of its participants.
The Regional Contact Group on Afghanistan was formed at the initiative of the Islamic Republic of Iran to coordinate the approach of regional countries towards developments in Afghanistan. The group consists of the special representatives for Afghanistan from Iran, China, Russia, and Pakistan.
The first round of consultations for this group was held in Kabul on January 29, 2024, attended by representatives from Iran, China, Pakistan, Russia, and several other regional countries. The meeting aimed to create a unified regional approach to Afghanistan.
The second meeting of the group was held in Tehran on June 8, 2024, with representatives from the four member countries. The Taliban government was also invited but did not participate. Topics discussed included collective engagement with the Taliban, terrorist threats, and the security and economic situation in Afghanistan.
Following the Tehran meeting, Hassan Kazemi Qomi, Iran's special representative for Afghanistan, had mentioned that planning for a third round was under review. It now appears that Tehran is preparing to host the next round of these regional talks to explore ways of cooperation for stability in Afghanistan.
Source: Iranian Media
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