Iranian, Kyrgyz Officials Discuss Security Cooperation, Afghanistan
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Top security officials from Iran and Kyrgyzstan weighed plans for closer political and security cooperation between the two countries, with both stressing the need for concerted action to ensure stability in Afghanistan.
Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani and Vice Chairman of the Security Council of Kyrgyzstan Talatbek Masadykov held a meeting in Tehran on Sunday to explore avenues for the enhancement of regional and international cooperation between the two nations.
They also stressed the need to promote cooperation between Tehran and Bishkek in the political, security and economic arenas.
Iran and Kyrgyzstan share civilizational commonalities and also face common interests and threats, Shamkhani said, expressing the Iranian knowledge-based companies’ readiness to work with Kyrgyzstan.
The Iranian official then attributed the current critical conditions in Afghanistan to the wrong policies of the US which have resulted in crises in the region after more than 20 years of occupation.
“Considering the need for the establishment of peace, stability, and sustainable security in Afghanistan, we believe the formation of an inclusive government involving all ethnicities is a main factor in achieving such goal,” Shamkhani said.
For his part, Masadykov voiced Kyrgyzstan’s willingness to broaden the economic, political and security interaction with Iran.
Highlighting the common stances of Kyrgyzstan and Iran on the Afghan crisis, the visiting official said it is necessary for the regional countries to use collective and coordinated initiatives in order to prevent humanitarian catastrophe, extreme poverty and spread of terrorism in Afghanistan.
He suggested that Bishkek and Tehran can step up security cooperation and share experiences in the fight against terrorism, drug trafficking, and organized crimes.