WANA (Dec 14) – A meeting titled “Reviewing Developments in Afghanistan” opened in Tehran on Sunday, December 14, 2025, at the initiative of the Islamic Republic of Iran, bringing together special representatives from Afghanistan’s neighboring and regional countries. The gathering, held at a relatively unprecedented level, aims to facilitate dialogue and exchange views on the latest political, security, and economic developments in Afghanistan.

 

The meeting is attended by the representative of Pakistan’s prime minister, special envoys of the presidents of Russia and Uzbekistan, and senior officials from the foreign ministries of China, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan—an indication of the growing regional concern over Afghanistan’s trajectory and its direct impact on regional stability.

 

Opening the session, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi emphasized the deep interconnection between Afghanistan’s future and the security and development of the broader region. Drawing on decades of experience, he stated that “no extra-regional formula can resolve regional crises,” pointing to the failure of imposed external solutions and the two-decade NATO military presence in Afghanistan, which ultimately collapsed without delivering sustainable stability or development.

 

Araghchi stressed that Afghanistan’s neighbors are the “most natural and most reliable” actors in addressing the country’s challenges. He underlined that Iran has consistently insisted on the central role of neighboring countries in any initiative related to Afghanistan, noting that security, development, and prosperity in Afghanistan are inseparably linked to the interests of surrounding states.

Tehran Hosts Regional Talks on Afghanistan. Social media /WANA News Agency

Tehran Hosts Regional Talks on Afghanistan. Social media /WANA News Agency

Highlighting Afghanistan’s geoeconomic position, Araghchi said the country has the potential to become a key connectivity hub linking Central Asia, West Asia, and South Asia—provided that stability and security are ensured. He identified the development of regional transport corridors, transit networks, and economic cooperation as critical tools for regional convergence and for Afghanistan’s reintegration into regional economic processes. Iran, he added, is prepared to expand cooperation with neighboring countries in transportation, energy, trade, and consular services.

 

The Tehran meeting takes place amid escalating tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan in recent months, alongside Afghanistan’s deepening economic crisis, large-scale migration, drug trafficking, and the growing threat posed by terrorist groups. While Iran does not frame the meeting as a formal mediation effort, it views such multilateral dialogue as essential for reducing misunderstandings, preventing further escalation, and fostering a shared regional understanding of security challenges.

 

Tehran hopes this regional initiative will pave the way for sustained dialogue and the emergence of a coordinated and durable framework for managing Afghanistan-related challenges—one based on regional convergence, collective responsibility, and the rejection of extra-regional intervention. The central question, however, remains unresolved: can Afghanistan’s neighbors finally agree on a practical and shared formula for stability?