‘No single group’ in Afghanistan should hold power by itself ‘alone’

Monitoring Desk

KABUL: No group or faction can exercise power “alone” in a multi-ethnic country such as Afghanistan, said the permanent representative of Iran to the UN.
The establishment of an inclusive government in Afghanistan based on a constitution is the “only way” for the country to escape its current predicament, according to Amir Saeed Iravani, the permanent representative and ambassador of Iran to the UN.
“In a multi-ethnic and diverse society such as that of Afghanistan, no single group, party, or faction, can claim to hold power by itself alone,” Iravani said during the General Assembly’s meeting of Thursday, November 10, on violation of human rights and violence in Afghanistan.
The Iranian official said that the formation of an inclusive and representative government in Afghanistan that ensures the rights of all Afghan people including women, and ethnic and religious minorities is the only recipe, “a prerequisite and critical component for international recognition.”
Calling on the international community, Iravani also stressed that the support to Afghanistan, particularly humanitarian and development aid be sustained as they are essential in reviving the Afghan economy and the urgent needs of the impoverished people of Afghanistan.
The Iranian diplomat stated that since attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, including schools and diplomatic premises, are increasing, the security situation in Afghanistan continues to be of concern.
The status quo in Afghanistan, according to Iravani, is a result of foreign military intervention in the nation with the pretended objectives of fighting terrorism and bringing democracy to the war-torn country.
He blames the intervention of foreign forces and their “irresponsible” withdrawal from Afghanistan to have plunged Afghanistan into the “dire” situation that it is in today.
This comes as a recent World Bank report stated that the significant economic contraction in Afghanistan has made the country a “much smaller economy” after the Taliban took control which has also deteriorated the situation of human rights in Afghanistan.