Iranian authorities back legality of aid to Afghanistan

Head of Iran's National Security & Foreign Policy Commission, Alaeddin Boroujerdi

Alaeddin Boroujerdi, head of Iran’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission announced that Iran’s financial aid to Afghanistan is completely legal.

Iranian media report that today the parliament discussed the country's financial aid given out to head of Hamid Karzai’s office in Afghanistan.

Boroujerdi told Iranian MPs that foreign media are trying to tarnish Iran-Afghanistan relations by trying to portray Iran’s assistance to its neighbour, which he claimed “has been carried out in the framework of official agreements”, in a bad light.

Boroujerdi reminded the MPs that the parliament has often approved financial aid to Iran’s neighbours including Afghanistan and these kinds of assistance are continuous.

Last Sunday New York Times announced that head of Hamid Karzai’s office is in receipt of cash payouts from the Islamic Republic government.

Karzai denied any wrongdoing on behalf of his office and stressed that it is true that they receive financial assistance from Iran and it is all very open and legal.

Yesterday seven Iranian MPs summoned the foreign minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, to answer questions regarding the financial assistance to Afghanistan.

Ramin Mehmanparast, spokesman for Iranian foreign ministry told reporters yesterday that financial assistance to Afghanistan was approved at the time of Mohammad Khatami’s presidency in Iran and has continued to date.