Mohammad Mohaqiq, leader of Afghanistan’s People’s Islamic Unity Party, has responded to criticism over his attendance, alongside National Resistance Front leader Ahmad Massoud, at the funeral ceremony of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
In a statement posted on Facebook, Mohaqiq urged critics not to use the event as a pretext to attack Iran, Islam or Afghanistan’s former jihad leaders. Addressing his critics directly, he wrote: “Digest your pain quietly.”
Mohaqiq also rejected criticism surrounding the way he was introduced during the ceremony. He said references to him as a member of the “Supreme Council of Resistance” resulted from a misunderstanding, explaining that he had attended the ceremony as a representative of the Supreme National Resistance Council for the Salvation of Afghanistan. According to Mohaqiq, such mistakes were understandable at an event attended by large numbers of participants and were not intentional.
The veteran Afghan politician described his and Ahmad Massoud’s participation in the ceremony as a reflection of the “deep relationship between two brotherly nations.” He also expressed satisfaction with the reception provided by Iranian authorities to the Afghan anti-Taliban delegation.
Mohaqiq further accused some social media users of spreading what he described as misinformation and said others should not speak on his behalf against the organizers of the ceremony. He also referred to individuals who used the event to criticize Iran as acting with malicious intent.
Mohaqiq and Ahmad Massoud attended the funeral on July 3 at the invitation of the Iranian government. The simultaneous presence of both Taliban representatives and their political opponents at the ceremony prompted widespread debate among Afghan political figures and social media users over Tehran’s approach toward Afghanistan’s competing political actors.
Iran has not issued a new official response to criticism regarding its decision to invite both the Taliban and their opponents to the ceremony.
