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Tehran, Feb 25, IRNA -- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei in a meeting with the Head of the Interim Afghan Government Hamid Karzai here Monday said that seeking independence is, and has always been, a real and rare treasure for the Afghan nation.
Ayatollah Khamenei added, "the stronger the proud identity of the Afghan nation would be intermingled with that nation's love for their religion and spirituality, the weaker should be the possibility of the foreigners' interference in Afghanistan's internal affairs.
Expressing satisfaction over the existing peace and tranquility in Afghanistan, the leader said, "various Afghan groups, races and tribes should have trust in each other and take full advantage of the current stable status in favor of establishment of a long, lasting and deep-rooted peace in which the advancement and reconstruction of Afghanistan could easily and rapidly proceed."
The supreme leader said that the Afghan nation has displayed a long patience longing for establishment of peace and order in their country and the current era is therefore of extreme importance in the history of Afghanistan.
Ayatollah Khamenei also expressed hope that the future would be witness to prevalence of peace and tranquility for an unified Afghan nation and Iran's eastern and brotherly neighbor would experience the advancement that it truly deserves.
Referring to the tragic martyrdom of a number of Iranian diplomats by the Taliban militants and the various hardships imposed on Iran due to narcotic drugs trafficked form Afghanistan, the leaders said that prevalence of security in Afghanistan and reconstruction of that country is of extreme importance from various points of view for its western neighbor, Iran.
Replying positively to Karzai's request for Iran's active participation in the process of reconstruction of Afghanistan, the leader of the Islamic revolution said that the whole world, and particularly the Islamic world should play an active role in reconstruction of Afghanistan.
Further elaborating on the same subject, Ayatollah Khamenei said, "yet, no country's participation in Afghanistan's reconstruction should become a pretext for exerting that country's political and cultural hegemony in Afghanistan.'
The Head of the Interim Government of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai, in brief, but warm remarks prior to Ayatollah Khemenei's address, while expressing full pleasure over the opportunity to visit Iran, said that the prevailing peace and stability in Afghanistan is the result of selfless contributions of the exalted leader of the Islamic Republic, as well as the Iranian nation and government.
Karzai referred to Iran's assistance in fighting against the intruding former soviet's Red Army, as well as assisting the resistance force of the Afghan nation during the despotic reign of the ousted Taliban militants, both of which were of great importance for the Afghan nation.
He said, "on behalf of the Afghan nation and government, I would like to appreciate the devoted contributions of Iran's leader, nation and government and to emphasize that we will never forget your selfless contributions."
He added that hosting millions of Afghan refugees for two decades was a sign of the existing brotherhood and shared interests of the two nations along the course of their long history, adding, "we hope such brotherly ties and assistance would continue during this sensitive ear of the Afghan history.
Hamid Karzai emphasized that the Afghan nation will never abandon their love for Islam, or their country's independence, which are both so dear to them, now and in the future, and both play a decisive role in Afghanistan's fate.
Evaluating his trip to Tehran as extremely important and its results as totally satisfactory, Karzai concluded, "both in order to reconstruct our country, and in order to establish peace and security in Afghanistan, we are in dire need of continuous assistance of our Iranian brethren."
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