Iran has denied a claim by the “Taliban terrorist group” that it has “relations” with the Islamic Republic, Press TV reported.​

Speaking on Monday, Bahram Qassemi, the spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, said the claim is “a pre-meditated attempt” by “the terrorist-nurturing sponsors of the terrorist group” of Taliban, to trigger Iranophobic perceptions.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran has always had a pioneering role among regional countries in the fight against terrorist groups, and has so far sustained much material and immaterial costs in the fight against those groups,” Qassemi said.

The claim that Iran is supporting the Taliban group is “an obvious lie,” the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said.

The Taliban ruled Afghanistan prior to a US-led invasion of the country in 2001. The then-Taliban regime was not recognized by the Islamic Republic of Iran. 

A Sunday report by Asharq Al-Awsat cited Mullah Zabihullah, a spokesman for the Taliban in Afghanistan, as saying that the group had established “relations and new networks” with Iran.

Source: MENA