Talebs-Iran: Flexing muscles

Senior Taleban officials traveled to Iran for a meeting. The Taleban raised the issue of Afghan refugees. Tehran wants to rattle the US.
Political watchers say Iran has shown the US that it has influence in the region.

Senior Taleban officials traveled to Iran for a meeting. The Taleban raised the issue of Afghan refugees. Tehran wants to rattle the US.
Political watchers say Iran has shown the US that it has influence in the region.
Political analyst Wahid Muzhda says, “By pulling off the meeting Iran has shown its power to the US. That if it wants a long-term role in Afghanistan it will have to consider the role of Iran as well. Iran has made clear it has the ability to create problems for the US.”
This wasn’t the first meeting of Iranian and Taleban officials. The former Taleban minister of higher education, Amrullah Numani, was invited to a conference by Iran.
There have been unconfirmed reports that Iran was providing training and arms to the armed insurgents, but the official visit of Taleban leaders has been Tehran’s boldest move.
Neither the Ministry of Foreign Affairs nor the Iranian Embassy in Kabul has admitted to the meeting. Rahmatullah Azada from the media office at the Iranian Embassy would neither confirm nor deny the news. On June 3, foreign ministry spokesperson Janan Musazai said they were trying to “find out the authenticity of the report”.
He insisted Iran has supported the government. “The internal position of Iran about Afghanistan is that Iran is partial to peace in Afghanistan. International terrorism is not only a menace for Afghan people, it threatens the whole region.”
Taleban spokesperson Qari Yousuf Ahmadi said issues of mutual concern were discussed including the future of the Islamic Emirat of Afghanistan (the name for Afghanistan under the Taleban government) and Afghan refugees in Iran.
Mohammad Waziri, political observer and writer, says: “The point of Taleban talking to Iranian officials regarding Afghan refugees, specifically reports of their hanging, is important.”
The Taleban want to address an issue which is related to people who don’t have links with the armed group, he believes.
Iran, meanwhile, maybe using the Taleban to create problems for the US, which is leading crippling sanctions against Tehran.
Bezhan Bakhtiar, political analyst and journalist, believes, “The military in Iran wants to involve America and the West in a tiring and lengthy war. That America should not have the opportunity to pressure Iran on its nuclear programme.”