Iran's First Vice President Mohammad-Reza Rahimi says the time is ripe for Afghanistan to oust "occupying forces" and take security measures into its own hands, Press TV reported.
"The time has come for the Afghan nation to take the recovery of the country into its own hands,"..."We hope security, employment, and the livelihood of Afghans improves in the near future," IRNA quoted Rahimi as saying.
The Iranian official said the Islamic Republic has historical ties with Afghanistan and urged that the two neighbors should fully utilize all potentials to expand mutual cooperation in all fields.
He made the remarks in a meeting with visiting Afghan Education Minister Ghulam Farooq Wardak in the Iranian capital on Sunday.
Farooq for his part hailed Iran's positive cooperation with Afghanistan, especially in the field of education, and said the Islamic Republic had an important role to play in the establishment of peace and stability in the region.
The Islamic Republic says the expansion of all-out relations with neighboring Afghanistan remains a top priority for the country, adding that Iranian officials have always focused on the development of relations with Afghanistan in all areas.