asefi: ties with taliban not included in foreign ministry agenda

tehran, jan. 19, irna -- the spokesman for the iranian foreign ministry, hamid-reza asefi, here wednesday denied a newspaper report on iran's conditions for the resumption of relations with the taliban group. the daily 'tehran times' in its wednesday issue quoted an iranian official as saying that iran will resume diplomatic ties with afghanistan if a broad-based government with the participation of all ethnic and religious groups is installed in kabul. asefi stressed that the issue of the establishment of relations with the taliban group is not included in the agenda of the foreign affairs ministry of the islamic republic of iran. therefore, he further remarked, the daily's report which is attributed to an informed source at the foreign ministry is denied.