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              Iran Denies Ties to Slain 'Terrorist' Taliban Leader

   by Ayaz Gul

   An Iranian diplomat has rejected allegations Tehran had close ties and
   had been covertly working with Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Mansoor, who
   was killed in a U.S. drone strike.

   The fatal attack against Mansoor took place in southwestern Pakistan
   May 21 while he was returning from Iran. U.S. officials say the Taliban
   leader freely undertook journeys to Iran, where his family lives.

   Tehran's ambassador to Islamabad, Mehdi Honardoost, while delivering a
   public talk at the Institute of Strategic Studies, said cooperation
   with a "terrorist group" like the Taliban is out of the question for
   the Iranian government.

   "He [Mansoor] was the head of the Taliban in Afghanistan," said the
   Iranian envoy. "You know, 16 years back we were exposed to the fight
   with the Taliban because they attacked our consul-general and they
   killed all of our diplomats."

   He was referring to the execution of eight Iranian diplomats in the
   northern Afghan city of Mazar-e-Sharif that brought Shi'ite Iran to the
   brink of an all out war with Afghanistan in 1998 when the Sunni-based
   Islamist Taliban was in control of most of the war-hit country.

   Iran funded and armed Afghanistan's Northern Alliance in its fight
   against the ruling Taliban before the U.S.-led military invasion of the
   country that ousted the Islamist group in 2001.

   "How can we [come with] good terms with these guys? According to the
   information that I have, Iran never, and never supported these guys,"
   said Honardoost.

   ''A Pakistani passport that slain Taliban leader Mansoor was allegedly
   carrying under a pseudonym, Wali Mohammad, had a valid Iranian visa and
   his travel history showed he undertook at least two trips in recent
   months to Iran, including the one that led to his killing.

   When asked whether Tehran knew about Mansoor's presence in his country,
   the Iranian ambassador said "maybe, everything is possible." He noted
   that Iran shares long borders and territories with both Pakistan and
   Afghanistan.

   It is widely perceived that the rise of the Syrian-based Islamic State
   terrorist group in Afghanistan has become a major worry for Iran and
   compelled it to win cooperation from its longtime adversary, the
   Taliban, to secure border areas.

   According to media reports, Tehran is also providing the Taliban with
   funds and weapons in its bid to keep Islamic State out of Afghan areas
   bordering Iran.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/iran-denies-ties-slain-terrorist-tali
   ban-leader/3348665.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/iran-denies-ties-slain-terrorist-taliban-leader/3348665.html