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| Afghanistan |
| 'Iran Tries to Increase Influence in Afghan Parliament |
| 2010-12-09 |
| [Tolo News] Iran supports a group of political and religious Afghan leaders within parliament in a bid to boost influence in the House of Representatives, the Guardian reports The article published by the Guardian included names of three Afghan MPs including Ahmad Ali Jebrayili, Sayed Hossain Alami Balkhi and Mohammad Akbari, who have been accused of having close political ties with Iran. But the MPs strongly rejected the allegations. Iran has made efforts to convince members of Afghan House of Representatives to make policies against coalition forces in Afghanistan, an article in the Guardian said. "This is a mere lie. We have stood against any country working against our national interest. And when Iran sentenced a number of our fellow citizens to death, I had the strongest stance against it," Sayed Hossain Alami Balkhi, an Afghan MP who has been accused of having ties with Iran, told TOLOnews. Ahmad Ali Jebrayili, a former Afghan MP in reaction to the allegations said: "I want to proudly announce that I neither have ties with America, nor with Iran or Pakistain. If USA or any other countries have any evidence proving my ties, they can present it," "I am not backed by any foreign country and I do not like to be backed. I'm a brave, honorable and freedom loving Afghan," said another Afghan MP, Ustad Mohammad Akbari. The article wrote according to the cables released by WikiLeaks that Mirwais Yasini, deputy for the Afghan House of Representatives, had told a US official that he was under pressure from an Iranian intelligence official to change an agenda in the House, and that Yasini had refused to do so. Mr Yasini also dismissed the accusations. "Not only Iranian intelligence hasn't contacted us about bringing any change in the Agenda, no other neighbouring countries' intelligence have done so. We haven't had any meeting with anybody. I dismiss the claim," said Mr Yasini. Buying off some elements in Afghanistan's House of Representatives, Iran has developed the ability to turn Afghan parliament into an ineffective organisation, the leaks have claimed. We tried to get comments from Iran's embassy in Kabul about the allegations, but without success. |
| Posted by:Fred |