Iran and Taliban leaders join hands hinting at danger to US-Taliban peace deal

Tehran: – The developments in Afghanistan have taken a different turn. Taliban, who was negotiating with the United States and the Afghan government till the last week, seems to have joined hands with Iran. One of the senior Taliban commanders visited Iran and held meetings with senior Iranian leaders. Following these meetings, Iran announced that the Taliban is firm on starting a war against the United States. It was being said that the change of guard in the United States will have its impact on the negotiations being held with the Taliban in Afghanistan. The Biden administration also had said that the peace deal with the Taliban would be reviewed and a decision will be taken regarding the US military withdrawal from Afghanistan. But US Secretary of State announced that Zalmay Khalilzad, appointed as the special envoy for Afghanistan, will be retained.

Because of these developments, the Taliban commanders negotiating with the Afghan government in Doha were on their way to Iran. As per the information given by Iran and the international media, senior Taliban commander Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar met Ali Shamkhani, the Chief of the supreme security council of Iran. Baradar will also be meeting Iranian Foreign Minister Jawad Zarif soon.

While addressing the press, after the meeting between Baradar and Shamkhani, it was claimed that the United States is pushing Afghanistan towards a war. Shamkhani accused, ‘The US policies regarding Afghanistan are pushing the country into a war. This could cause bloodshed between different ethnic groups in Afghanistan.’ Shamkhani also said that the United States is unnecessarily holding Taliban responsible for the insecurity and instability in Afghanistan.

Shamkhani declared on the social media that it was clear from the talks with Baradar that the Taliban commanders are firm about starting a war against the United States. Shamkhani reminded that Baradar has served a term of 13 years in the US prison at Guantanamo Bay. At the same time, Shamkhani clarified that Baradar still desires to join the conflict with the United States. Taliban commander Baradar has said that the United States cannot be trusted completely. Baradar warned that the United States has violated the deal with the Taliban and the conflict against US soldiers will continue.

Meanwhile, Shamkhani informed that after the meeting with Baradar, the meetings of Taliban leaders with Iran are a regular affair. The United States had accused that Iran is sheltering the Taliban and Al-Qaeda terrorists. Former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had charged that Iran has started collaborating with Al-Qaeda. Iran had dismissed these allegations at that time. But the Iran-Taliban collaboration is exposed to this Baradar visit.