Iran Offers to Mediate Between Taliban and Pakistan Amid Growing Tensions
Iran’s Foreign Minister has expressed Tehran’s willingness to mediate between the Taliban and Pakistan in an effort to ease tensions, according to a statement released by the Taliban’s foreign ministry.
In a phone call with Taliban acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, Iran’s Foreign Minister called for resolving tensions through dialogue and introduced Iran as a potential mediator.
The statement added that Tehran is prepared to play an active and constructive role in advancing negotiations between the two sides to reduce tensions.
This recent diplomatic contact follows a conversation a few days earlier between senior Iranian diplomat Abbas Araghchi and Pakistan’s Foreign Minister, during which Araghchi urged continued dialogue between Islamabad and the Taliban.
In his conversation with the Iranian official, Amir Khan Muttaqi emphasized that the Taliban administration prefers diplomacy over other approaches. He also voiced dissatisfaction with the deadlock in the third round of talks between the Taliban and Pakistan, claiming the Pakistani delegation failed to take any responsibility, leading to a lack of progress.
The escalating tensions coincide with increasing mistrust along Afghanistan’s eastern border and a lack of transparency in political relations, posing serious challenges to regional security. While Iran’s offer to mediate may be seen as an attempt to de-escalate the situation, prospects for meaningful dialogue remain uncertain without changes in the Taliban’s unilateral policies.
