US not seeking Afghanistan freedom: Senior Iranian official

He made the remarks in a meeting with former Afghan president Hamed Karzai who is currently in Iran to attend the Meeting on Latest Developments in Afghanistan and Relations with Iran.

One of the signs denoting that the Americans used the pretext of fighting with Taliban to establish their presence in Afghanistan is that international humanitarian assistance are not spent for the country’s development; rather they are spent for the occupiers themselves, he said.

Kharrazi reiterated that Afghanistan’s liberation does not constitute US’ goal, as it is seeking continued presence in the country to fulfill its strategic objectives.

“Foreigners’ interference in Afghanistan’s affairs is one of the problems faced by the country and today the interferences are taking place in the form of Daesh presence,” Kharrazi said.
He also said that the US uses terrorist groups as a lever of pressure, noting that it does not seek to fight terrorism, as the Americans never fought terrorism in Iraq and Syria as they were expected.

It was only Iran and Russia’s help that change the situation in those countries, he went on to say.

Noting that changes in regional situation have disturbed US strategic plans, Kharrazi said that’s for the same reason that the US has been opposing to Iran’s presence and influence in the region.

Describing consensus as essential for solving Afghan problems, he said that that it is a positive step that the Afghan elderly are convening and exchanging views.

“We have always supported Afghan nation’s efforts to reach its demands, as we consider its security the same as Iran’s security,” he said.

Meanwhile, Karzai said, for his part, that the US strategy in Afghanistan is to continue war and not peace and its security strategy for Afghanistan has no message but war and bloodshed.

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