Outsiders must back off from S Asia: Iran

As Richard Holbrooke, US’ special envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan, arrives for his first visit to the region, Iran has made it clear that “outsiders” should keep off its backyard.

When asked for his reaction to Holbrookes’s assignment, Iran’s ambassador to India Seyed Mehdi Nabizadeh made it clear the sooner “foreign forces get out” of Afghanistan the better the chances of the war-ravaged nation getting back on its feet.
Iran, like India, supported the Northern Alliance against the Taliban regime in Kabul.

But since the ouster of the Taliban its influence in Afghanistan had dwindled. Without naming the US, the ambassador said: “…after all we all know which is this external force and we should be vigilant.”

Nabizadeh said the problems in the region — whether between India and Pakistan or the problems of Afghanistan — must be solved locally. “India and Pakistan are capable of solving their own problems,” he said in reply to a reporter’s question.

“But if any help is needed, the regional powers can do so,’’ the ambassador said, obviously meaning Iran. He also pointed to Iran’s role in stopping the sectarian bloodbath in Iraq.

Despite Tehran’s mutterings against the US, the fact remains that Iran is hoping the Obama administration would be better than the Bush regime. If Washington and Tehran can break the ice, Iran’s ambitions of playing a part in stabilising the South Asia region may just come about. The US is also looking for a broader regional solution to the problems of Afghanistan-Pakistan-India.

Richard Holbrooke will spend at least three days in Islamabad, meeting president Zardari and other leaders. He will also have extensive talks with Afghan president Hamid Karzai before visiting to India.

India is ready to welcome Holbrooke after US clarified that his mandate would not include Kashmir. In fact, when speculation was rife over him acting as mediator between India and Pakistan on Kashmir, India was informally asked if he would be given the travel papers to visit New Delhi. The American’s were told that while there would be no problem with granting him the visa, access to senior Indian officials could be difficult.

But after Washington made its stand clear on Kashmir, New Delhi is happy to discuss the situation in Pakistan-Afghanistan with Holbrooke and give its inputs. With the new envoy in town, Islamabad is likely to also hand over its reply to the Indian dossier soon.