Kheyrkhaah, who has spent the last nine years at his post in Iran, spoke to NEWSWEEK’S Maziar Bahari at Afghanistan’s embassy in Tehran. Excerpts:
Seyyed Muhammad Kheyrkhaah: We strongly condemn the terrorist attacks that killed thousands of innocent people in the U.S., but at the same time we think that this tragedy is a result of the world community’s ignorance toward the problems in Afghanistan. Our country has to deal with so many disasters like drought, starvation, continuation of the [civil] war, etc. And now, on top of it all, the Taliban has given refuge to a number of international terrorists in our country.
Pakistan had historical, geographical, economic, and political reasons. Since its creation, Pakistan has always had problems with Afghanistan regarding its border in Pashtun [tribal] areas in northern Pakistan. In fact, the border dispute between Pakistan and Afghanistan goes back to the time when India and Pakistan were part of the British Empire. The people on both sides of the border are Pashtuns. And the Pashtuns in Pakistan want some sort of self-determination. Pakistan thinks that a strong central government in Afghanistan will claim its territories, so they prefer [a] proxy government in Afghanistan, which would obey their wishes.
The next issue is Pakistan’s attempt to get to Central Asian markets and natural resources … Pakistan tried to exploit the newly found gas and oil resources in Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan and transfer oil and gas through Afghanistan. Also, Pakistan claims [the disputed Kashmir region] as part of its territory. And an alliance between a sovereign Afghanistan and India scares them. So they would like to have Afghanistan under control by any means possible in order to prevent it from making independent decisions.
No. I think Pakistan’s policies are wrong not only for the people of Afghanistan, but for Pakistanis, as well. Talibanization of the region is a serious threat.
[Former prime minister of Pakistan] Benazir Bhutto confessed a few years ago that Pakistan was not alone in creating the Taliban. She mentions the U.S. as one of the countries responsible. Even if the U.S. claim that they didn’t support Pakistan in creating the Taliban, they have to accept that they did ignore the birth of this monster. And they have ignored its atrocities until Sept 11, 2001.
During our jihad against the Russians, there were some Afghan religious students under the tutelage of certain Pakistani groups. Most people who were involved in the war didn’t pay that much attention to them. We were even happy that by the end of the war we’d have educated clerics who could help our people. But we weren’t aware that they were studying at the most backward and reactionary Pakistani schools … After the jihad was over, Pakistanis took advantage of the chaotic situation in Afghanistan and sent them, alongside foreign mercenaries, to our country in 1994. After a while, many former communist Pashtuns also joined them because the Taliban is also a Pashtun group.
When Russians invaded Afghanistan in 1979, an Islamic jihad was announced. And many people from different countries joined us in the jihad. They went to Pakistan and established NGOs [nongovernmental organizations] or aid centers in Pakistan. Osama bin Laden was in charge of one of these groups, which was helped by Saudi Arabia. These groups were also supported by the U.S. and the CIA. But after the Russians pulled their forces out of Afghanistan and consequently we defeated the communist regime, they didn’t return to their country. They joined Pakistan’s criminal groups and the Taliban.
Osama is very strong and has many forces in Afghanistan. Thousands of professional mercenaries from different nationalities work for him. They don’t know anything but war. They have no family and no country. The Taliban use Osama’s money, his own money and what he receives from other countries through donations or force. His troops also fight against our government.
He threatens rich people in different Arab countries that if they don’t pay up he’s going to destroy their properties or kill them. That is one of his ways to finance his network.
I like to make it clear that our government didn’t collapse. It is still recognized by United Nations and other international organizations as the legal government of Afghanistan and the only legitimate representative of [the] Afghan people. We are still fighting a very strong enemy, which, as you witnessed on Sept. 11, is capable of horrifying acts. Nonetheless, you are right in saying that there were different viewpoints among different factions of the mujahedin. Each group became very proud of defeating a superpower, and each wanted more [of a] role in the government. But they were solving their problems when Pakistan took advantage of the situation … Right now different groups and ethnicities in [the] Northern Alliance are united and have solved their disagreements.
We were fighting the Taliban even before Sept. 11’s tragic events. So we welcome anyone who supports us. We support fighting and uprooting terrorism. But we are also worried about the safety of our people. We don’t want innocent people to get hurt during the attacks. We hope that if they attacked Afghanistan, they would hit specific targets like the military bases and terrorist cells.
I don’t think that Americans even think about occupying our country for a long time. I don’t think that would be necessary. If they hit terrorist bases then there will be no need for ground troops or keeping the troops there for a long time. If they really want to hit Osama and the Taliban, it will take them only a week with air attacks. If they hit the Taliban’s bases [in the cities of Kandahar and Kabul] they will eventually fall.
There have been some talks. I don’t know the details of their plans. I’m only worried about Pakistan’s plans. They’re trying to convince the world not to change the Taliban and keep them in power by saying that they’re trying to bring the moderate faction of the Taliban to power. You cannot get rid of terrorism if the Taliban remains in power.
We don’t accept a foreign power dictating our future. The people of Afghanistan have to make the final decision. We believe every group has a right to have a say in this regard. So we also talked to Zahir Shah and his supporters in Rome. We have agreed with them to create a National Solidarity Council in which different groups can have a representative. Even low-ranking members of the Taliban can be there–of course their leaders will not be included. This council will pave the way for a loya jirga [national assembly] which will decide about the future of the country.
No. None of these talks about him being chosen as the leader is correct. We cooperate with anyone who can bring peace to Afghanistan. He will be one of the members of the council. He’ll be there as an elder of a group.
I really don’t know that. He doesn’t seem to have any support among the armed groups. But we cannot deny that he has a popular base as a Pashtun elder.
There are some lapis lazuli and emerald mines in the areas that are under our control. There are also some farms in those areas, we print our own banknotes, and we also receive some foreign aid. It’s not much though.
Iran wants peace and security in Afghanistan in order to solve some of the problems they have been dealing with since Soviet invasion in 1979. The main problem is the situation of [an estimated 2 million Afghan] refugees, which is a terrible burden on Iran’s shoulder … The other issue is drug trafficking, which has caused a lot of damage. There should be a strong and responsible government in Afghanistan, which can control cultivating poppies and drug trafficking. So Iran supports a popular government in Afghanistan in which every tribe and ethnicity is represented.
Some of Iran’s policies in the past were not consistent. And some times they trusted Pakistanis too much. But we shouldn’t talk about the past because we support their policies at the moment.
I hope so. So far we have been getting our arms from [the] black market. But Iran has helped us with food and medical supplies.
