Iran’s senior diplomat says that Taliban has started an offensive towards Herat and the areas neighboring Iran so they can have an upper hand on the bilateral trade between Tehran and Kabul.
Iran’s senior diplomat Abolfazl Zohrevand told our host that according to the latest information, public resistance has entered its fourth day amid Taliban trying to invade Herat.
“Government forces were not able to provide the necessary support to the forces inside Herat who are resisting with the least possible equipment.” He added.
Zohrevand also said that the Americans have more or less continued their aerial support. “Flights to Herat have been halted and Taliban has kept moving towards this city.
He said that Taliban has resorted to the same strategy which they had during the 1990s. “Last time, initially they moved towards Kabul and Mazar Sharif. first, they invaded Herat during those times and are repeating the same steps today.”
Zohrevand believes that Herat has been the focal point because of its lesser population and on the other hand the suburbs of the city is home to many Pashtun citizens.
The senior diplomat also said that Herat city is the key to the Iranian Trade and the Taliban is well aware of the location of this city which is on the crossroads of Turkmenistan and Iran. It’s also the gateway to Qandahar and Pakistan.
“If the city is invaded then the Taliban will have a crescent-shaped area under its control which was considered as the strategic foothold of the Americans.”
He Believes that the US had always pursued the severance of Tehran- Kabul relations; thus, Taliban can pave the road towards Central Asia by taking these steps.
“Taliban’s next destination will be Mazar Sharif and Kabul.”
Answering a question regarding the American media’s silence towards this issue he replied that the US has played on two levels; a level that is evident and other a secret level. They’ll use these measures to maintain their presence in the region and engineer a new round of crisis.
Zohrevand pointed out the disgraceful political and military defeat the US has received in Afghanistan and said: Washington’s special rapporteur to Kabul has confessed that it happened due to arrogance and negligence of the US’s political and military leadership towards the changes in the region.
