Iran warns of Afghanistan-Pakistan border tensions spillover
The spokesman for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has warned against the dangerous “spillover” effects of the cross-border clashes between Pakistani and Afghan forces on the region.
“Among the important points for us is the issue of security and stability in neighboring states. Afghanistan and Pakistan are both our Muslim neighbors, and we believe that any estrangements in relations between the two countries can have consequences extending beyond their borders,” Esmaeil Baghaei said in a weekly press briefing in the capital Tehran on Monday.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran has called for dialogue and restraint from both sides, and emphasizes that the differences between Afghanistan and Pakistan must be resolved through dialogue and interactions,” he added.
The remarks come as Pakistan’s military says it has killed more than 200 Afghan fighters, while Afghanistan claims it killed 58 Pakistani soldiers in overnight border clashes.
Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for Afghanistan’s Taliban government, on Sunday said 30 other Pakistani soldiers were wounded and a “significant amount” of Pakistani weapons fell into Afghan hands.
Pakistan’s military, on the other hand, said 23 of its “brave sons” were killed in the clashes, and officials said they closed their border with Afghanistan.
Border hostilities erupted after Thursday’s explosions in Afghanistan, which the Taliban blamed on Pakistan, representing the sharpest escalation in months of strained relations over Islamabad’s allegations that Afghanistan is harboring armed groups behind attacks inside Pakistan
MNA/Press TV
