With several domestic challenges overriding achievements obtained over the past few years, external threats and barriers are of a bigger role in holding back the post-Taliban processes in Afghanistan. Afghanistan's geostrategic location is said to have caused part of the trouble. Clearly, the countries' geo-strategic advantages or disadvantages are mainly based on where they are situated and what countries are living in their vicinity. Accordingly, the landlocked Afghanistan also shares borders with several countries.
Our western neighbour has been playing a significant role in Afghanistan since the very first days when the two countries entered the course of their modern diplomatic ties. Relations between Afghanistan and Iran have turned more important since the clerical regime of Taliban was ousted from power in Afghanistan and a democratic system of governance emerged here.
As an expected truth, Iran has been pursuing its interests in the war-torn Afghanistan which has sometimes contradicted those of Afghanistan and/or the international community present here. The long standing conflict of interests in Afghanistan is considered as the most principal raison d'être of divergences and clashes.
For sure, our neighbours may have their legal interests here and may be concerned over changes happening over periods of time based on which they adjust their policies and priorities in relation with Afghanistan. But concerns rise when they start meddling in this conflict-wrecked country's internal affairs and launch proxy wars in Afghanistan to meet their objectives in fight against their regional and global rivals.
Afghanistan under president Karzai has kept close ties with the Islamic Republic of Iran. Both sides have always stressed on friendly relations between the two nations. Bilateral relations have boosted since the interim government came to power in Afghanistan following the ouster of Taliban.
However, there have been disagreements on how the two countries approach international community's presence in Afghanistan and some consequent subjects. Ahmadinejad has repeatedly called for the withdrawal of US-led forces from Afghanistan, saying their presence was stoking the Taliban insurgency.
In the most recent occurrence, Reuters reported that Iranian President, once more, called for the immediate withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan and proposed that NATO use part of its military budget to help revive the Afghan economy. Speaking at the Fifth Regional Economic Cooperation on Afghanistan (RECCA V) in Dushanbe on March 26, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad noted that NATO and the United States should change their policy.
Calling for the immediate withdrawal of foreign troops, Ahmadinejad said: "The entire problem lies with NATO and with the policies of NATO members, most of all the United States, which entered Afghanistan under the guise of the war on terrorism and under the same banner is now surrounding India, Russia and China."
On the contrary, for several times, Iran has been accused of providing financial and technical support for terrorist groups in Afghanistan to carry on the proxy war against its sworn enemy, the US. Ahmadinejad had previously warned, "They [foreign troops] must leave the region and this is not a request but an order by and the will of the regional nations."
Given the extensive influence of our neighbouring countries here, Afghanistan and NATO need their co-operation, but the growing enmity between the US and Iran will have unbearable consequences for the stability in Afghanistan.
President Karzai has repeatedly asked for regional cooperation to address challenges, implying Iran's significant role in that. As the neighbouring countries' role in success or failure of plans in Afghanistan is too critical, Afghanistan needs their support and consistence, including that of Iran. While the Islamic Republic of Iran needs to stick to realities in the region and consider that only a peaceful, stable and developed Afghanistan can help stability and development thrive in Iran. Self-centered approaches to subjects in Afghanistan will destabilize the country.