On November 24, 2020, the Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies (AISS) organized a roundtable discussion on “Role of Culture in Strengthening of Bilateral Relations between Afghanistan and Iran". The panel discussion was accompanied by special guest Saeed Khatibzadeh, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran; Toryalay Ghiasi, director of cultural affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan; Reza Mohammadi, cultural advisor to the Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies; and Ghofran Badakhshani, researcher at Leiden University in the Netherlands, with moderation by Samira Sameem, deputy of administrative department, Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies (AISS).
In his speech, Khatibzadeh pointed out that Iran and Afghanistan have a common historical culture and identity, but unfortunately, there has been little work done by governments in this area and no proper and important action has been taken to improve and expand cultural relations between the two countries. He said this is because the relations defined between the two governments are still considered as strategic. According to Khatibzadeh, cultural components strengthen relations between the two countries, and Afghanistan and Iran should further strengthen their cultural ties. According to Khatibzadeh, Iran and Afghanistan not only have a common history but also a common destiny; And therefore, we must work to strengthen and expand relations between the two nations, he added.
Ghiasi stated that Afghanistan and Iran have a lot in common and that both countries can play a role in strengthening the relations between them. He added that relations between the two countries should be expanded and strengthened on the basis of culture, not politics, because cultural diplomacy is the soft power that shapes and improves relations between countries; But culture in the two countries has not been able to influence the policies of the two countries because. According to Ghiasi, the governments of the two countries should consider culture in their foreign policy above politics.
In his speech, Reza Mohammadi pointed out that Afghanistan and Iran have a common history and identity, and that it was modern governments that drew the line between the two nations. The way to progress is to recover ourselves, not to follow others and think differently, he said. He added that policymakers in the two countries need to review and redefine a range of issues. According to Mohammadi, the more dialogue is provided for the cultural figures of the two countries, the more the people of the two countries will get to know each other and the relations between the governments will be strengthened.
Ghofran Badakhshani said that the governments of Iran and Afghanistan have politicized the two countries` shared language and given it different letters. The government in the two countries has not only done nothing to strengthen the culture, but they themselves have been part of the problem in this area, he said. They distorted all the history and culture, so the history and culture of the two countries need to be re-read, he suggested. He added that in the past, there was more cultural exchange and dialogue between the two countries than now. According to Badakhshani, governments have a responsibility to facilitate cultural dialogue, and it is culture that is more effective in strengthening the two countries` relations, than the politics.