Iran is implacably hostile to the Taliban over that movement's extremist theology and over its killing of Afghan Shiite Muslims. In 1999, Iran almost went to war against the Taliban after its militia killed eight Iranian diplomats and a journalist after capturing a predominantly Shiite town, and has worked together with Russia to support anti-Taliban opposition forces. Despite the overtures between the reformist president Mohammed Khatami and the West on ways of cooperating against terrorism, hard-line spiritual leader Ayatollah Khameini insisted that while Iran condemned the terror strikes in the U.S., Tehran could not support U.S. military action against Afghanistan. Still, whether working directly with the U.S. or not, Iran remains a key regional player in the anti-Taliban alliance.
[Source : The Taliban and Afghanistan by Tony Karon, Tuesday, Sep. 18, 2001. Time.com Primer]
Other Links :
1. USA Today : Iran helped overthrow Taliban, candidate says by Barbara Slavin
2. Taleban Timeline : http://www.worldpress.org/
4. Iran Press Sevices : IRAN FULLY BACKS THE AFGHAN LOYA JIRGA PROJECT By Ahmad RA’FAT
5. Iran Press Services : MULTINATIONAL FORCE SAID TO BE FORMED TO ATTACK TALEBAN, 25 Nov 2000
6. Iran Press Sevicess : IRAN REPEATED OPPOSITION TO MULTINATIONAL FORCE IN AFGHANISTAN, 21 Dec 2001
7. Iran Press Services : NEGOTIATORS AT AFGHANS BONN TALKS AGREED ON THE GENERAL DRAFT, 3 Dec 2001
No comments:
Post a Comment