New Delhi

Pakistan’s support for Taliban in Afghanistan would eventually lead to endangering of the security of the war-ravaged nation, former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad warned on Tuesday.

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“All those who are supporting Taliban should know that if the Taliban settles down and takes power, they would soon revolt against themselves and endanger the security” of Afghanistan, he told WION's Executive Editor Palki Sharma in an exclusive interview.

“Anybody in any part of the world who considers themselves as the basis and symbol of the religion and tries to force upon others its will by weapons and arms, is going to be a serious threat and danger to all nations.”

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Ahmadinejad cautioned both Afghanistan's neighbours, regional nations and extra-regional powers against meddling in the country as US troops complete their withdrawal after 20 years.

The government in Kabul has persistently accused Pakistan of supporting Taliban. Pakistan President Imran Khan, in recent remarks, had defended the insurgent group, saying they are also regular Afghans.

None of the neighbours of Afghanistan—Iran, Pakistan, India, China— or Persian Gulf countries, NATO and Russia-  should meddle in Afghanistan’s affairs, Ahmadinejad said.

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On the future of Afghanistan, he said the will of the people should prevail.

“People of Afghanistan should elect their representatives. And none of these groups are the representatives of people of Afghanistan.”

Any group that takes weapons, attacks and occupies some parts of the country cannot call themselves the representatives of the nation and be entitled to rights, he said.

“If we accept this logic, then we will be accepting that the entire world would always be unstable , and whoever is more violent, would be dominant. Then rights and laws would be meaningless,” he said.

 Part of the interview will air on WION on Tuesday at 3:30 PM GMT.