Russian Diplomat: Iran, Russia Are Key To Regional Peace

Iran and Russia are key to the establishment of peace and security in the area of Middle and Near East, especially as regards the Afghan crisis. This was said by the Russian ambassador to Tajikistan, Maxim Peshkov. According to him, proceeding from their national interests, Moscow and Teheran show very close approaches to complex questions of regional security. "For instance, one illustration of productive interaction between Moscow, Teheran and Dushanbe is the establishment of peace in Tajikistan. This positive experience must be put to use in resolving the crisis situation in Afghanistan", stressed Peshkov. In an interview to the Irna news agency, the Russian ambassador noted that the international community has become aware that the threat to regional stability comes from the Taliban movement. It goes on directly involving Tajikistan into a new round of armed conflict in the region. "It is the leadership of the Taliban which bears responsibility for the region having become converted into a hotbed of international terrorism, narcomafia and propaganda of the ideology of violence, which has nothing in common with Islam", said Peshkov. In his opinion, the main sources of financing the Taliban are profits from illegal drugs trafficking, individual financial-industrial groups in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. Besides, Pakistani mercenaries are taking part in the hostilities on the side of the Taliban against the Northern Alliance, noted Russian ambassador to Tajikistan Maxim Peshkov.