A senior Iranian official has announced that Tehran is ready to help build popular mobilization force to combat terrorism in Afghanistan.
The secretary-general of The World Forum for Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought (WFPIST) of Iran Ayatollah Mohsen Araki, who spoke to journalists in Tehran on Saturday morning, for the first time announced the readiness of Iran to establish a massive popular mobilization force to fight IS-K and other terrorist groups in Afghanistan.
Based on AVA press, speaking at a news conference on how to hold the 32nd International Islamic Unity Conference in Tehran, Mr. Araki stated: “Afghanistan is a free country and its nation is a free nation. We should not see the United States to be involved and in-charge in this country. “
Talking about Iranian’s involvement in formation of popular mobilization forces, he stressed that the citizens of Afghanistan in Syria suppressed ISIL, and that Fatemiyoun had prominent strength in the fight against ISIS in Syria.
According to the secretary-general of WFPIST, Iran, as in Syria, Iraq and Lebanon, played a role in the formation of popular mobilization forces, and as he termed these forces brought pride and dignity. He mentioned that “it [Iran] is also ready to create a popular mobilization forces in Afghanistan. “
He noted that Afghanistan may seek help from Iran to build popular mobilization forces.
Ayatollah Arakki emphasized that the Iran is ready to help create a large popular force to eradicate IS-K and other terrorist groups in Afghanistan.
He stressed that his country cannot see the presence of terrorists in Afghanistan, because this presence will blacken the lives of the people of Afghanistan and will affect the security situation in Iran.
It is for the first time that an Iranian senior official who is considered a close ally to Iran’s supreme leader Aytollah Ali Khamenei and was his special representative in London, makes a bold statement about the willingness of Tehran to form an Iraq or Syria type mobilization force in Afghanistan. After emergence of ISIS in Iraq and the war in Syria, Iraq formed Hasht Al Shabi the famous Shiite uprising force in Baghadad and also mobilized various Shia militant groups including the Afghan refugee-based Fatemiyoun in Syria.
While there is no such demand of Iranian involvement in Afghanistan, such statements from Tehran would be alarming for the future of Afghanistan, particularly at time when the central highlands of the country is under attack of the Taliban insurgents during the last month.
The 32nd International Islamic Unity Conference is scheduled to take place in Tehran from 24 to 26 November this year, with 350 figures and scholars from around the world, especially from Islamic countries. This conference is held every year on the occasion of the coming of the Unity Week and birthday of Prophet Mohammad.
Prominent figures from Afghanistan such as former President Hamid Karzai, Ayatollah Mohammad Asif Mohseni, chairman of the Shi’a Ulema Council, as well as Faiz Mohammad Othmani, Minister of Hajj and Religious Affairs reportedly will attend the conference.
