Iran allows Afghan migrants education facilities

KABUL (SANA): Iranian Ambassador to Afghanistan Dr Fida Hussain Maliki says his country has provided Afghan migrants with the education facility.
At a press conference in Kabul the other day he said illegal migrants would be able to study in Iranian schools up to 12th grade while legal Afghans would have the opportunity of higher studies.

Earlier, Iran disallowed migrants to be enrolled in its educational institutions, he explained, saying 70,000 Afghan children were currently studying in that country. An additional 1500, who qualified an entry test recently, will soon graduate to Iranian universities.

Maliki informed journalists about the commencement of four reconstruction projects costing $14 million in Afghanistan. They include the construction of a major health facility, a rehabilitation centre in Kabul, a vocational and a telecommunication centre in western Heart province.

The ambassador denied Iranian interference in Afghanistan’s internal affairs and the allegations that Tehran had sent suicide attackers into western Nimroz province.

Last week, a video showed the Iranian border being opened for free movement of Afghans. The ambassador, however, insisted the frontier was not opened but rules were relaxed for Afghans.

He told a questioner three million legal and illegal Afghans were currently living in Iran.

Maliki blamed some Afghan media outlets for flashing misleading stories against Iran and called upon them to avoid spoiling the relationship between the neighbours.

Separately, days after the sacking of a top diplomat in the wake of an electoral fraud controversy, the State Department has reiterated Washington’s supports for the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).

The reiteration of support is seen as an attempt by the Obama administration to clear the confusion generated after Secretary General Ban Ki-moon fired Peter Galbraith diplomat, who held the number two position in UNAMA.

“The United States fully supports UN Mission in Afghanistan and Special Representative Kai Eide in UNAMA’s oversight of and support for Afghanistan,” a State Department spokesman said.

Meanwhile, a top administration official assured the United States would never walk out of Afghanistan and it was not being discussed at any level. Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs PJ Crowley told reporters the US had a long-term commitment in Afghanistan. “We are talking about how best to carry out that commitment, how we can best serve our interests and those in the region. But I have heard no one say that we are prepared to walk away from Afghanistan,” Crowley remarked.

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