*TEHRAN – Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs SeyedAbbas Araqchi has partially endorsed the stance of Afghan Taliban forwithdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan as a prelude to peace. *

*He rejected the effectiveness of military approaches to security problemsfacing Afghanistan and said the withdrawal of foreign forces will helprestore peace to the war-stricken country.*

Addressing an international conference on Afghanistan held in the Uzbekcapital of Tashkent on Tuesday, Araqchi said the ongoing conflicts inAfghanistan are the outcome of foreign military forces’ presence in theSouth Asian country.

He further emphasized that military approaches have failed in Afghanistanin the past and so will be the case in the future.

The Iranian diplomat went on to say that the withdrawal of the foreigntroops from Afghanistan would be “a prelude to peace” in the country.

During the two-day conference in Tashkent, which began on Monday, more than20 countries and organizations voiced their support for direct talksbetween the Kabul government and the Taliban to end the 16-year conflict inAfghanistan, according to media reports.

A joint declaration issued at the end of the meeting in the Uzbek capitalunderlined the signatories’ “strong backing for the National UnityGovernment’s offer to launch direct talks with the Taliban, without anypreconditions.”

They also called upon the Taliban to “accept this offer for a peace processthat is Afghan-led and Afghan-owned.”