India calls for more interaction with Iran on Afghanistan's stability

India’s Minister of External Affairs Salman Khurshid said Iran plays a crucial role in the establishment of peace and tranquility in region, and called for more interaction between Tehran and New Delhi to explore new ways to boost security in war-torn Afghanistan. Iran and India are two friendly countries, which can join hands in playing a major role in Afghanistan after 2014, Khurshid said. He stressed the importance of closer cooperation between the two sides, saying India has always welcomed Iran’s constructive and active approach toward Afghanistan. Afghanistan has been ravaged by a war started by a US-led military occupation since 2001 under the pretext of a "war on terror". The intervention has led expanded terror and insecurity across the war-torn nation, further leading to increased narcotics production and trade, mass displacement of civilians and destruction of the country's major infrastructure.