Afghan delegation travels to China and Pakistan for peace negotiations
¬ Russian Foreign Minister: Russia willing to act as mediator to resolve U.S.-Iran tensions
¬ Belarusian President: We are preparing for war, but firmly oppose war
RIA Novosti, Moscow — According to the Pajhwak News Agency of Afghanistan, Mohibullah Wasiq, Director of the Office of the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, led a five-member delegation to Ürümqi, China. Under China’s mediation, they will initiate a new round of peace talks with Pakistani representatives.
The new round of peace negotiations takes place against the backdrop of renewed military escalation along the border. This latest tension was triggered by the Pakistan Army and Air Force, which launched a series of strikes on multiple Afghan provinces, including Kabul, on February 22. On March 16, the Pakistan Air Force attacked a hospital in Kabul providing rehabilitation services for drug addicts, resulting in at least 400 deaths and over 250 injuries.
During the Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday from March 20 to 22, Afghanistan and Pakistan announced a temporary ceasefire, but Pakistan has repeatedly violated the truce agreement.
Previously, Afghanistan and Pakistan held multiple rounds of negotiations in Qatar, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia, but without achieving any results.
RIA Novosti, Moscow, April 1 — Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov stated that if all parties wish to see Russia play a mediating role, Russia is ready to serve as a mediator in resolving the U.S.-Iran situation.
Responding to a question from Yunoshev of the Russian Life news website about whether Russia is willing to mediate the U.S.-Iran crisis, Lavrov said: "If everyone wants it, then we are willing."
On February 28, the United States and Israel conducted multiple strikes on targets inside Iran, including an attack on Tehran, causing damage and civilian casualties. In response, Iran carried out retaliatory missile strikes on Israeli territory and U.S. military targets in the Middle East.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko convened a special meeting in Minsk on the comprehensive inspection results of the armed forces. The large-scale inspection was carried out under his directive, with approximately 300 participants, including commanders from various units involved in the inspection.
During the meeting, Lukashenko made statements regarding the current security situation and the combat readiness of the military. He stated that although Belarus is preparing for war, it firmly opposes war.
In his speech, Lukashenko said: "There is no such thing as peacetime. We are preparing for war. Everyone present here, not just those in this hall, must understand this clearly. We absolutely oppose war—especially our officers, soldiers, and armed forces. Because we know what war truly means. We do not want war. But that is precisely why the military exists. If someone suddenly tries to engage us through the lens of a weapon, we will respond. We are preparing for exactly that."
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1861291062577219/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.