Iran (IMNA) - Speaking during a quadrilateral meeting with the foreign ministers of China, Russia, and Pakistan on September 25, 2025, on the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly in New York, Araghchi condemned the US effort to rebuild military bases in Afghanistan.
Araghchi reiterated Iran's firm stance on non-interference in other countries' internal affairs and supported the Afghan people's right to determine their political, economic, and social future, per the UN Charter and international laws. He acknowledged that despite the interim Afghan government's attempts to improve conditions, Afghanistan continues to suffer from severe security, humanitarian, and economic challenges, which directly affect the region’s neighboring countries.
Highlighting the shared regional responsibility to address these issues, Araghchi criticized sanctions on Afghanistan, insisting that sanctions should not hinder its economic recovery or legitimate dealings with the interim government. He demanded the unconditional release of Afghanistan's frozen assets abroad to restore economic stability for the Afghan people.
The Iranian minister expressed concern over the ongoing presence of extremist groups in Afghanistan despite some progress against ISIL, calling for transparent and decisive action by the interim government against terrorism, emphasizing that counter-terrorism efforts must be comprehensive, non-discriminatory, and aligned with international law.
Araghchi also mentioned Iran's role as host to millions of Afghan refugees, noting the heavy economic and security burdens Iran has borne amid severe unilateral sanctions against itself, which violate international law.
Criticizing the US military intervention and 20-year occupation, he stated that this presence brought death, insecurity, terrorism, drug trafficking, corruption, poverty, and displacement to Afghanistan. The 2021 US withdrawal, he said, was a humiliating act that left Afghanistan and its neighbors to suffer the consequences alone. Ultimately, he reiterated, the US and NATO are responsible for many of Afghanistan's and the region’s present difficulties.
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