Iran at The Hague conference: Sending more foreign troops is ineffective; Holbrooke meets Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister; Tehran condemns Arab League statement on islands in Persian Gulf
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  • Iran’s deputy foreign minister Mohammed Mehdi Akhondzadeh, speaking at the conference on Afghanistan at The Hague, pledged his country’s help in the reconstruction of the country and to cooperate in regional efforts to crack down on the Afghan drug trade. He however argued that sending more foreign troops would be ineffective, stating that “the presence of foreign forces has not improved things in the country1.”

    Iran’s participation in the conference was highly anticipated, because of the possibility that the meeting could provide the first forum for interaction with members of the Obama administration. US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton later told reporters that Mr. Richard Holbrooke exchanged greetings with the Iranian official and that the US handed over a letter to the Iranian delegation requesting its intercession regarding two American citizens currently being held in Iran and information about another who was missing. Mrs. Clinton added that “the rise of Afghanistan’s drug trade with Iran gives Tehran a natural role to play2.”

    Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman criticized the Arab League Summit statement issued in Doha which talked about the UAE claims regarding the islands of Greater and Lesser Tunbs and Abu Mousa in the Persian Gulf. The spokesman asserted that the islands were part of Iranian territory and that such statements accounted for interference in Iranian national affairs3.

    Meanwhile, a German Army spokesman stated that two private German logistic companies were involved in talks with Iranian authorities for exploring alternative non-military supply routes to Afghanistan. He however stressed that neither NATO nor the German government were involved in any contractual negotiations. Reports noted that alternate supply routes were being explored as NATO convoys traveling through Pakistan were increasingly coming under attack by the Taliban and al-Qaeda4.

    In other developments, the Iranian parliament urged the government to reconsider trade and economic ties with those countries which supported terrorism. The bill was approved with 146 members among the 201 who cast their vote. The bill was introduced on the belief that some countries were supporting certain groups opposing the Islamic Republic of Iran, despite huge trade relations5.

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