TEHRAN, 28 January, 2021, (TON): Iranian and Taliban officials met in Tehran on January 27, Wednesday and accused the U.S. of provoking the continuation of war in Afghanistan, Iranian State TV reported.

Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, told visiting Taliban political chief Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar that the US seeks to continue the war in neighboring Afghanistan.

“The US strategy supports the continuation of war and bloodshed among various Afghan groups in the political spectrum,” said Shamkhani, as State TV quoted.

He said the US tries to blame insecurity and instability in the country on individual Afghan groups. There was no immediate comment from the US, which signed a peace agreement with the Taliban last February and met its goal this month of reducing the number of troops in Afghanistan to about 2,500.

Taliban representative Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, who arrived on Monday with the delegation also criticized the US for allegedly breaking its commitments to the February deal.

“We do not trust the US and will fight any group that is a mercenary for the US,” he added.   

The first round of talks, which kicked off in September, ended in December after the two sides agreed on procedural rules. Afghan government officials and Taliban leaders resumed peace talks in Doha, earlier this month.

The US signed a peace deal with the Taliban in the final year of Donald Trump's presidency, paving the way for the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan, which even faced criticism from Republicans and NATO’s secretary-general. According to the US-Taliban deal, all American soldiers are supposed to leave Afghanistan by April.

Biden administration seems to be less interested in continuing peace talks with the Taliban. New Biden administrations officials are to re-evaluate the pact after violence across Afghanistan has surged in recent weeks.

Iran also views the presence of US forces in neighbourhood as threat and calls for the departure of troops.