Tehran summons Afghanistan’s chargé d'affaires over attacks on embassy, consulate

Iran’s Foreign Ministry has summoned Afghanistan’s chargé d'affaires to strongly protest against attacks on the Iranian embassy in Kabul and the country’s consulate in the western Afghan city of Herat.

According to the Foreign Ministry, Afghanistan’s chargé d'affaires was also notified that all consular sections of Iran’s missions in Afghanistan have suspended their services until further notice.

Seyed Rasoul Mousavi, the head of the South Asia Department at Iran’s Foreign Ministry, reminded the Afghan charge d'affaires of the responsibility of governments in ensuring the security of diplomatic missions and called for legal proceedings against those attacking Iran’s diplomatic missions.

All missions of the Islamic Republic of Iran across Afghanistan will resume their services once Afghanistan ensures their security, Mousavi said on Tuesday.

A day earlier, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh warned against plots by “certain ill-wishers of Iran and Afghanistan” to draw a wedge between the two nations.

His remarks came after videos circulated online of the attacks against the Iranian missions. The attackers only managed to damage the surveillance cameras by throwing stones at them.

Iran Foreign Ministry warns against ill-wishers’ plots to foment Iranophobia, Afghan-phobia

Tehran warns against plots by certain ill-wishers of Iran and Afghanistan to incite negative sentiments toward the two nations.

Khatibzadeh emphasized that Afghanistan’s acting Taliban government is definitely responsible for ensuring the security of foreign diplomatic missions.

“Complete security of the embassy and [other diplomatic] missions of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Herat and other Afghan cities must be maintained and the necessary guarantees for the safe operation of these missions must be given,” the Iranian spokesperson added.

The Iranian government and people have been hospitable to the Afghan people for decades, hosting some 3.6 million documented and undocumented Afghan refugees who left their country due to war and harsh living conditions.

300,000 more refugees have entered Iran since the Taliban took over Afghanistan in mid-August last year. This is at a time when the Iranian nation is facing unilateral US sanctions and the international humanitarian bodies are keeping silent on such inhumane bans.

Iran has called for a boost to international humanitarian efforts for Afghanistan on various occasions, criticizing the international community for insufficient aid for the refugees given the wave of displaced Afghans heading toward Iran.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry says the UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, should play a more active role inside Afghanistan and help reduce the inflow of refugees through aid efforts.

Currently, more than 520,000 foreign students, including Afghan students, are studying for free in Iran. Furthermore, Iran’s COVID-19 vaccination drive has also included Afghan refugees alongside Iranians.

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