HERAT, Afghanistan, 21 October 2007 — The United States is in no position to attack Iran because it is bogged down in the conflict in Iraq, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said yesterday. Mottaki was talking at the sprawling Iranian consulate in the western Afghan city of Herat, on the border with Iran, where a regional trade conference was taking place.
“Americans have never been in such a grave situation and this is because of their own deeds,” he said with a smile. US officials say Iran supports the Shiite militias in Iraq and may be involved in sending arms to the resurgent Taleban in Afghanistan.
Washington also accuses Tehran of building nuclear weapons and has not ruled out an attack against it. Iran has denied the accusations and Afghanistan, where US forces make up the majority of foreign troops, says it has no evidence that Tehran is involved in arming the Taleban.
“Since the actual probability of the subject is nil, therefore one cannot talk about it,” Mottaki told a press conference when asked if Iran would hit US bases in Afghanistan should Washington launch an attack against it. Washington thought it could dictate to the world as the only superpower after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Mottaki said.
“America, today, in the international system is facing a serious challenge ... Americans are in a very, very difficult situation. The people of Afghanistan would not allow America to use Afghanistan against any country. This is our ... belief,” he said.
Meanwhile, President Hamid Karzai said yesterday Afghanistan and its neighbors must launch a regional campaign against terrorism in order to make the most of their natural resources and develop trade. Karzai was addressing the final session of a conference of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), a 10-nation group which was founded by Iran, Turkey and Pakistan.
Afghanistan, where a Taleban-led insurgency — backed by Al-Qaeda — has intensified in the past two years, could serve as a bridge bringing ECO nations together, Karzai said. “Our homelands are resourceful homelands. We have abundant resources and our people are thirsty for progress,” Karzai said, adding economic development would help bring stability.
“...Terrorism, drugs ... and organized crime ... form our difficulties and are the main block to regional development.” He emphasized terrorism was the most serious obstacle. “And this (development) will not be possible if we do not isolate the handful of terrorists wherever they are and organize ... a joint campaign against them.”
