Mahmoud Short RoundAhmadinejad's recent comments about US presence in Afghanistan and in the region.
The comments are believed to be connected with the United States' tendency to establish permanent bases in Afghanistan.
| And dig wells, put in plumbing and electricity, improve the roads, provide free medical care, build schools, clear mines -- although apparently Afghanistan has done pretty well with that last. Whatever happened to the spirit of "The Mouse That Roared", where they agonized over how to get America to defeat them and provide a Marshall Plan? |
| They just go direct to USAID and bank the boodle in a compliant financial institution... |
""What are you doing in Afghanistan? What are these military bases in the region for? Are you compassionate or hypocrite?" President Ahmadinejad asked the US on Friday.
Experts called the comments obvious interference of Iranian government in Afghan domestic affairs.
"Iran doesn't want the international community to exist in Afghanistan and aims at turning Afghanistan into a place where it could increase its regional interests," said Mir Ahmad Joyenda, an Afghan expert. "And it's really disappointing that the Afghan government has remained silent about the issue."
Experts believe such sort of comments could hurt Afghanistan's illusory sovereignty and would damage relations between the two nations, he said.
"They meddle in our domestic affairs. They should stop dictating us what to do, and what not to do, who to be friend with and who not. To some extent, it damages our independence," said Abdul Karim Ranjbar, an Afghan expert.
This is not the first time that Iranian officials protest US presence in Afghanistan.
Officials in Tehran had consistently said that Afghanistan is being occupied by the United States of America.
But officials in Kabul have highlighted that Afghanistan would never be used against its neighbours in particular Pakistain and Iran.