Iran to send mission to Afghanistan

Dawn
TEHRAN, Jan 16: Iran's foreign ministry is to send a team to areas in Afghanistan controlled by the Taliban militia, whose rule Tehran does not recognize, Iranian radio said on Sunday.

It will inspect the premises of Iranian diplomatic missions in Kabul, Herat and Jalalabad, the radio said. It quoted a ministry official as saying that such inspections would normally take place annually but none had been held since the Taliban seized power in Kabul in 1996. The official added that Iran's consul-general in Herat had been in the city for a week to prepare for the visit.

Iran, which recognizes the ousted Afghan government of Burhanuddin Rabbani, said in December it had received a message from the Taliban proposing direct talks to settle their differences.

Top of the list is Tehran's demand for the killers of Iranian diplomats in Mazar-i-Sharif in 1997 as the Taliban captured the northern Afghan city to be brought to trial.-AFP