TEHRAN, 17 April, 2021 (TON): There is a need for the Taliban to change in democratic ways as today’s Afghanistan is different than it was in 2001, said Iran’s Foreign Minister Javad Zarif on Friday.

He said while addressing the Raisina Dialogue’s online conference, “The Taliban has to change based on democratic ways. If they want to go back to their 90s ideology, it will be impossible, as there is a new and different Afghanistan today.”

His remarks come as the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan has been officially announced and there are efforts to move the peace process forward.

“Regional countries should help Afghanistan create that picture, a democratic government, balanced ethnic representation, and a strong economy,” he stated.

“We need to put aside our differences and focus on our commonalities, including the fact that an Islamic emirate in Afghanistan is an existential threat to Pakistan and a national security threat to Iran and India,” Zarif said.

However, he stated that the role of civil society in Afghanistan today is not comparable to 2001 or the 1990s.