Araghchi: Regional solutions sole viable path to Afghanistan stability

Tehran - BORNA - Speaking at the opening session of the meeting titled “Review of Developments in Afghanistan,” held in Tehran on Sunday, December 23, with the participation of Afghanistan’s neighboring and regional countries, Araghchi emphasized that sustainable peace and stability in Afghanistan can only be achieved through region-centered cooperation.

Based on experience, neighbors are the most natural and trustworthy solution, the Iranian foreign minister said, adding that the Islamic Republic of Iran has consistently underscored the central role of neighboring countries in any initiative related to Afghanistan.

The meeting, hosted by Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, brought together special representatives of Afghanistan’s neighboring countries to discuss the latest political and regional developments. Participants included the representative of Pakistan’s prime minister, representatives of the presidents of Russia and Uzbekistan, and officials from the foreign ministries of China, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.

Addressing the gathering, Araghchi described Afghanistan as a country with honorable people and unique capacities, historically serving as a bridge between surrounding regions and possessing vast economic, human, transit, and natural potential. He noted that Afghanistan’s geoeconomic position places it at the heart of connectivity networks linking Central Asia, West Asia, and South Asia.

Stability and development in Afghanistan are not only humanitarian necessities but strategic imperatives for the entire region, he said, stressing that the security, development, and prosperity of Afghanistan are directly tied to the interests of all neighboring states.

Araghchi reiterated that imposed external solutions do not lead to lasting stability, while region-based solutions offer greater capacity for achieving sustainable development and security. He emphasized the importance of comprehensive regional integration of Afghanistan and called for a coordinated, durable framework of cooperation among neighboring countries.

According to Araghchi, enhanced regional convergence can help strengthen collective security, limit external interference, and create conditions for trust-building, shared responsibility, and long-term stability. He stressed that Afghanistan’s future is inseparable from the collective wisdom, responsibility, and cooperation of the region.

"Iran is ready to expand its cooperation with all of Afghanistan’s neighboring countries. We have accumulated significant experience in the fields of transportation, trade, consular services, and energy, and we believe that through convergence and coordination, a sustainable framework for regional cooperation around Afghanistan can be established."

"Such cooperation will benefit not only Afghanistan but the entire region. It should be noted, however, that the people of Afghanistan must remain at the center of all these efforts—people who deserve a secure and reliable future. The countries present at this meeting bear, more than any other parties, a moral, humanitarian, and regional responsibility to assist these people and can play an effective role, in a coordinated manner, alongside the authorities of that country," he underlined.

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