KABUL (Pajhwok): Iran and Pakistan have once again called for the release of Afghanistan’s frozen assets of to improve the country’s economic situation.
The Iranian envoy to the United Nations, Zahra Ershadi, released the statement she read out at the UN Security Council session.
In her statement, she said if the situation in Afghanistan was not addressed, its economy could collapse.
As a result, the diplomat warned, poverty in and migration from Afghanistan to neighboring countries would increase.
“As we have emphasised on several occasions, the frozen assets of Afghanistan belong to the Afghan people and their release, which is critical to restoring the Afghan economy and saving lives, should not be politicised,” she remarked.
She voiced Iran’s grave concern over ‘terrorist activities’ in Afghanistan and viewed it a huge challenge.
The international community should continue to emphasise the need for establishing an inclusive and representative government in Afghanistan, the envoy suggested.
Russia’s deputy permanent representative to the UN, Anna Evstigneeva, alleged the US had destroyed Afghanistan over the last 20 years.
She claimed the funds pouring into Afghanistan over the past two decades had gone back into the pockets of “corrupt American officials”.
At a time when the Afghans were in need of support, she deplored, the world — Western countries in particular — had cut off aid to Afghanistan.
Evstigneeva said Russia wanted lasting stability in Afghanistan and expected all parties to work for an inclusive and stable government in the war-devastated country.
Munir Akram, Pakistan’s permanent representative to the UN, believed there was an opportunity for lasting peace in Afghanistan after four decades of conflicts, as the country was now ruled by a single group.
He also asked for the release of the country’s frozen assets to address the current economic crisis in Afghanistan.
China also criticised out at the United States for freezing and misappropriating the Afghan central bank’s assets.
On Wednesday, China’s permanent representative slammed the Biden administration’s action as ruthless.
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