KABUL – Iranian foreign minister Javed Zarif has come under fire inAfghanistan over Taliban comments.

President Ashraf Ghani’s deputy spokesman Shahhussain Murtazavi in aFacebook post has said that Iranian foreign ministry officials have turnedinto Taliban spokesmen.

In an interview with India’s NDTV on Wednesday Iran’s Foreign MinisterMohammad Javad Zarif said it is impossible to have a future Afghangovernment without a role for the Taliban. However, he said the groupshould not have a dominant role in a future Afghan government – which willbe formed after a possible peace deal between Kabul government and themilitant group.

“I think it would be impossible to have a future Afghanistan without anyrole for the Taliban. But we also believe that the Taliban do not have,should not have, a dominant role in Afghanistan. Of course, at the end ofthe day that is a decision the Afghans need to make,” Zarif said.

Murtazavi said that Iran favors the ideology of Mullah Omar, the latefounder of Taliban group and said that Iran strongly fears a democraticAfghanistan.