IRAN  - Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast has rejected reports by the Western media that Tehran has allowed the Taliban to open an office in the Islamic Republic.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran only recognizes the lawful government of Afghanistan," Mehmanparast said.

Referring to the good neighborly relations between Iran and Afghanistan, the Iranian official said Kabul has an embassy and a consulate in the Islamic Republic.

On July 31, the Wall Street Journal claimed that Tehran was 'expanding ties' with the Taliban, allowing the militant group to set up an office in eastern Iran.

The report said a member of the Taliban's leadership council, the Quetta Shura, has set up an office in the eastern Iranian city of Zahedan in late May.

On August 3, Iran's Embassy in Ankara also denied reports claiming that Tehran has allowed the Taliban to set up an office in Zahedan.

Meanwhile, Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid announced in January that following negotiations with the US, the militant group has reached a preliminary agreement with Qatar to open a liaison office in the Persian Gulf kingdom.

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  • The Afghan president, under pressure from the White House, accepted the US proposal to let militants establish an office outside Afghanistan.

This is while in December the Afghan government had recalled its Ambassador to Qatar Khalid Ahmad Zakaria to protest at Doha for "secretly negotiating" with the US and Germany over the opening of a Taliban office in Qatar.