Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov on Friday held a phone conversation with Afghan counterpart Amir Khan Mottaqi to discuss tensions between Kabul and Islamabad, as well as the situation following US-Israeli strikes on Iran.
Lavrov said the differences between Afghanistan and Pakistan should be resolved through political and diplomatic means.
The foreign ministry readout said, “The parties exchanged views on the situation in the region, including the negative and destabilising consequences of aggression against Iran. They discussed prospects for reducing military and political tensions in Afghan-Pakistani relations.”
No further details were provided. Moscow is closely watching the Afghan-Pakistan border and Islamabad’s operations against the Taliban.
On Wednesday, foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said, “We are concerned over the continuing clashes on the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.”
She added, “Armed engagements involving aircraft and heavy weapons have been seen practically throughout the entire Pushtun-populated border zone, with casualties on both sides, and the fighting was affecting the civilian population, including Afghan refugees who have come back home from neighbouring Pakistan and Iran.”
