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Iran condemns Rabbani's assassination

Iran Materials 21 September 2011 01:30 (UTC +04:00)
Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast has condemned the assassination of Head of Afghanistan Peace Council Burhanuddin Rabbani, offering condolences to the Afghan nation and government, Press TV reported.
Iran condemns Rabbani's assassination

Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast has condemned the assassination of Head of Afghanistan Peace Council Burhanuddin Rabbani, offering condolences to the Afghan nation and government, Press TV reported.

"The martyrdom of the head of Afghanistan Peace Council, coinciding with the International Day of Peace, is a sign that terrorism is expanding in this country despite 10 years of foreign forces' presence on the pretext of establishing peace and stability [in Afghanistan]," Mehmanparast said on Tuesday.

The former Afghan president and the chairman of the Independent High Council for Peace was killed in an explosion that took place in his home on Tuesday.

Earlier on Tuesday Iran's Majlis (parliament) Speaker Ali Larijani also condoled the death of Rabbani, and blamed foreign forces for his assassination.

"The occupationist forces that have occupied Afghanistan on the pretext of creating stability and security for years cannot escape accountability for these crimes," Ali Larijani said in his message.

Five senior Afghan officials, who were present in the gathering, were also killed in the explosion.

The head of the joint secretariat of the High Council for Peace Massum Stanikzai was wounded in Tuesday's bomb attack.

Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack.

As head of Afghanistan peace council, Rabbani was in charge of Afghan-Taliban talks aimed at reintegrating militants who are willing to lay down their arms.

The initiative to form a peace council was adopted at a traditional gathering, or Jirga, in June 2010 following the failure of the US-led forces in establishing peace in Afghanistan.

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