AFP: The White House said Monday the world has “every reason to be concerned” about Iranian influence in Afghanistan, after President Hamid Karzai admitted receiving bags of cash from Tehran.
WASHINGTON (AFP) — The White House said Monday the world has “every reason to be concerned” about Iranian influence in Afghanistan, after President Hamid Karzai admitted receiving bags of cash from Tehran.
Bill Burton, the White House deputy spokesman, told reporters traveling with President Barack Obama that the administration had seen the reports about the payments made to Karzai’s chief of staff.
“And I think the American people and the global community have… every reason to be concerned about Iran trying to have a negative influence on Afghanistan,” he said.
He added Iran had a responsibility to exert “a positive influence on the formation of a government there, and to ensure that Afghanistan is not a country where terrorists can find safe harbor, or where attacks can be planned on their soil.”
Karzai acknowledged that his chief of staff had received “bags of money” from Iran but insisted it was a form of aid like that received from other countries.
