Afghan Taliban Denies Report on Peace Talks with US
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Afghan Taliban Spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid denied media reports that his group has embarked on peace talks with Americans in Qatar, stressing that Taliban’s stance against occupation of Afghanistan by foreigners has remained unchanged.
“This is a media propaganda that is not true, and no measure has been taken so far regarding peace talks between the Afghan Taliban and the American officials in Qatar,” Mujahid told the Tasnim News Agency.
“Taliban group has raised no new discussion and proposal for the process of peace talks and relations with the US,” he added.
Mujahid also noted that the Taliban has not changed its previous conditions for talks with the Kabul government, one of which was an end to occupation of the country by foreign forces under any name.
His comments came after Reuters news agency quoted Taliban officials as saying that the group planned to hold a first round of talks with US officials in Doha on Thursday.
The White House also denied the report. "The United States currently has no meetings with the Taliban scheduled in Doha," Bernadette Meehan, a spokeswoman for the White House's National Security Council, said on Thursday.
