(MENAFN- Daily Outlook Afghanistan) KABUL: Afghan peace process would end if the United States gets into a conflict with Iran, Washington's former special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan has said.
'If we get into a prolonged, low-intensity conflict with Iran — which I think is likely, unfortunately — then the U.S. may get to thinking that we are going to need to stay in Afghanistan and maintain a relatively robust military presence to threaten Iran from the rear, Richard Olson said as quoted by New York Times.
'If we reach that decision, he added, 'then I think that pretty much means the end of the peace process in Afghanistan.
US renewed peace talks with the Taliban last month.
NYT quoted Western diplomats as saying that the US strike against Iran and Iran's retaliation in Iraq, will surely slow down the talks, as the Taliban try to grapple with what this means for their insurgency.
The escalation of crisis has caused concerns in Afghanistan with officials repeatedly saying that the country will not be used against another country.
Two United States military officials said the American air assets in Afghanistan have repeatedly come up in discussions over potential responses to Iran, though the top United States commander in Afghanistan has urged caution about such plans, NYT said. (1tv)
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