Russia’s security chief, Iranian counterpart discuss situation in Afghanistan

Secretary of Russia’s Security Council Nikolai Patrushev held a telephone talk with Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran Ali Shamkhani to discuss security interaction and the situation in Afghanistan, TASS reported citing the press office of the Russian Security Council.

"Nikolai Patrushev and Ali Shamkhani discussed the issues of continuing Russian-Iranian security interaction, and also the situation in Afghanistan," the statement says.

The talk was held at the initiative of the Iranian side, the press office specified.

Clashes between the Afghan government troops and the Taliban radical militant group (outlawed in Russia) intensified after US President Joe Biden announced a decision on April 14 to wrap up the operation in Afghanistan that had been the longest overseas military campaign in the US history.