Afghanistan-Iran agreed on long term friendship and cooperation Pact

Afghanistan’s President, Hamid Karzai, signed a comprehensive pact of friendship with the president of Iran, Hassan Rouhani, on 10 December in Iran. This would cover the significant issue of regional security since the US forces are set to withdraw from Afghanistan from 2014.

The pact will be for long term political, security, economic and cultural cooperation. Karzai sought Rouhani’s help in countering the US pressure on Bilateral Security Agreement between the US and Afghanistan. Iran has already voiced its opposition to the Agreement opposing any further presence of US forces in Afghanistan.

About The Bilateral Security Act
It would put in place a legal regime that would apply to American troops in Afghanistan, who would be earmarked to stay beyond 2014, when most of the U.S. forces are to withdraw.

The security pact — which would allow the staying back of 8,000 to 12,000 US troops — has led to a heated debate inside and outside Afghanistan.

Analysts point to the fact that the presence of US forces might risk the security and stability of not only Afghanistan but neighbouring countries too (like India, China, Iran).It might increase extremism in Afghanistan beyond limits.

International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF), led by North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), have been carrying out security operations in Afghanistan besides training the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF). They have shown their unwillingness to stay back in Afghanistan beyond 2014 in the absence of an agreement on the Bilateral Security Act.

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