Iran’s attendance at a meeting to discuss the war in Afghanistan shows a willingness from all central Asian neighbours to assist the war-torn nation, Foreign Minister Stephen Smith says.
Mr Smith attended the one-day summit in the Netherlands where Afghan and Iran officials sat at the table alongside other nations including the United States and Australia.
There was a strong “emerging” consensus of the need for Afghanistan and Pakistan’s regional neighbours to become more active in finding a solution to the conflict, Mr Smith said.
It was also agreed that Pakistan was a problem for the international community, representing a direct terrorist threat to Afghanistan.
Signs that US and Iran relations were warming were welcomed.
“No one is being starry-eyed about that, particularly when it comes to Iran’s nuclear program,” Mr Smith told ABC Radio.
Iran’s engagement with Afghanistan was a “positive development”.
Mr Smith said the summit agreed there needed to be political dialogue between warring Afghan government officials and the Taliban, a move supported by the US.
“Whilst there may well be hardcore terrorists, who only operate under the barrel of a gun, there are some people who are attracted to that approach.”
