Russia and Iran have complex historical relationships with Afghanistan. Though the current Afghan peace process–centered by the talks in Doha as well as the February 2020 US-Taliban agreement–is strongly Western backed, regional powers still have significant stakes in the conflict.
One may argue that regional powers such as Iran or Russia have different strategic goals in South Asia and the Middle East than Washington and its allies. That said, Afghanistan’s (in)stability has both positive and negative ramifications on their respective domestic affairs, such as trade access and connectivity into South Asia, drug trafficking, cross-border terrorism, refugee flows, and illicit financial networks, to name a few. It is thus crucial to ensure that ongoing discussions of peace in Afghanistan include Russian and Iranian perspectives to obtain critical regional buy-in for a prosperous, democratic Afghanistan.
Join the Atlantic Council’s South Asia Center, Eurasia Center, and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty on Thursday, May 13 at 10:00 AM EST for a conversation about Russian and Iranian perspectives on the Afghan peace process.
Featuring
Fatemeh Aman
Non-Resident Senior Fellow
Middle East Institute
Irina Lagunina
Special Projects Editor, Russian Service
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
Ambassador Omar Samad
Non-Resident Senior Fellow
Atlantic Council’s South Asia Center
Moderated by
Qadir Habib
Director, Afghan Service
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
Opening remarks by
Ambassador John E. Herbst
Director
Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center
Welcome remarks by
Harris Samad
Assistant Director
Atlantic Council’s South Asia Center
Closing remarks by
Andres Ilves
Near East Regional Director
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
The South Asia Center is the hub for the Atlantic Council’s analysis of the political, social, geographical, and cultural diversity of the region. At the intersection of South Asia and its geopolitics, SAC cultivates dialogue to shape policy and forge ties between the region and the global community.
The Eurasia Center’s mission is to enhance transatlantic cooperation in promoting stability, democratic values and prosperity in Eurasia, from Eastern Europe and Turkey in the West to the Caucasus, Russia and Central Asia in the East.
RFE/RL’s mission is to promote democratic values and institutions and advance human rights by reporting the news in countries where a free press is banned by the government or not fully established.
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Image: Officials, including Afghan former President Hamid Karzai and the Taliban's deputy leader and negotiator Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, attend the Afghan peace conference in Moscow, Russia March 18, 2021. Alexander Zemlianichenko/Pool via REUTERS