Secret talks between Iran, Taliban

The British " Sunday telegraph " daily issued in London on Sunday disclosed that Iran during the three past weeks held secret talks with the Afghani movement of Taliban in an attempt to strengthen Iran's influence in the region and obstruct the return of the former Afghani King Muhammad Dhaher Shah to the rule of Kabul.

The paper added that signals coming from Tehran state that Iran proposed giving weapons and financing to former Afghani Mujahid " Qalb eddine Hikmatyar" in order to fight the former King of Afghanistan and that discussions between the two sides included the issue of providing the Taliban movement with fuel.

The paper added that Iran fears that the return of King Dhaher Shah to Afghanistan will urge support for the Iranian Bahlawi family which was toppled by the Islamic revolution in Iran.