Changing Regional Dynamics.

There are worrying indications that the Afghan peace process might soon hit a stumbling block. Interested stakeholders would do well to monitor the situation and developments in the coming weeks and months. Tehran has now joined the fray; the recent joint statement by the Iranian govt and the Taliban which blamed the US for disrupting peace in the region and not adhering to the terms of the agreement signed in February is indicative of a new twist in Afghanistan.

What is important to note is that Tehran did not approach the Afghan government, but the Taliban-the purported enemies of the US military complex. This is by no means an accident-Iran looks to be following the old mantra of befriending the enemies of one's own adversaries. But with violence increasing in Afghanistan with the Taliban as a prime suspect, the balance of power in the intra-Afghan negotiations process looks to be firmly shifting in favour of the Taliban. The non-state actor is doing well on the guerrilla battlefield, has managed to extricate itself from having to deal directly with...

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