On the sidelines of a major security conference, the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon says Iran could play a central part in establishing peace in Afghanistan, Press TV reported.
"We believe in Iran's key role in assisting efforts for peace and stability in Afghanistan based on its proximity and vast borders," ISNA's Kabul reporter quoted UN chief as saying.
The remarks were made during a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki on Tuesday.
Iran's top diplomat told the UN chief that in the nine years since the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan, the US has been following the wrong policies with regards to regional assistance in stabilizing the war-torn country.
On the hostile standoff over Iran's nuclear program, Mottaki stressed that "as a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the Iranian nation will not forgo its legitimate rights."
He went on the blast the Vienna group for wasting the opportunity for engagement and dialogue provided by the May 17 nuclear fuel swap declaration issued jointly with Turkey and Brazil.
Earlier on Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said Western countries attending the conference were seeking to prolong and boost their presence in the region rather than addressing pressing Afghan issues.