Islamabad, Sept 17, IRNA -- The Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Pakistan said Iran is ready to assist Afghan people in restoring peace but there should be an end to all sorts of external interventions in the war-torn country.

Seyyed Mohammad Ali Hosseini in a statement said: "Like before, the Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to provide any requested help for the advancement of peace and will share its good experiences and facilities with its Afghan brothers and sisters to achieve an enduring peace."

He said that intra-Afghan talks could be a “harbinger” for the long awaited peace.

The ambassador noted that for taking maximum advantage of this opportunity, there should be an end to all sorts of external interventions in Afghanistan, and Afghans should be allowed to freely decide their destiny.

“Responsible withdrawal of foreign forces, formation of mutual trust between the negotiating parties and concentration on political solutions, can provide a hopeful perspective for the talks,” the envoy maintained.

He called for preserving “valuable achievements” of the Afghan people, including their constitution, democratic structure, inclusive political participation, women’s rights and rights of ethnic and religious minorities.

This, he said, could prevent any unintended future crisis and bring about enduring peace.

He said that Afghan refugees were closely following these negotiations. “They are impatiently waiting for the negotiations to bear fruit and return back to their motherland. They are restive to reconstruct their country and witness the growth and rise of their children in their own land,” he said.

272**1424

Follow us on Twitter @IrnaEnglish