TEHRAN, February 26 (Xinhuanet) -- Interim Afghan government
Chairman Hamid Karzai on Tuesday denied U.S. allegations that Iran
is interfering in Afghan internal affairs to undermine his
government.
   Karzai, who arrived in Tehran on Sunday for a three-day visit to
Iran, told a press conference here that "Iran has never interfered
in the internal affairs of Afghanistan and has always shown
goodwill toward Afghanistan and its people."
   The United States recently cited Iran, together with Iraq and
the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, as an "axis of evil" and
accused Tehran of interfering in Afghanistan and providing
assistance to al-Qaeda network and Taliban fugitives.
   U.S. intelligence officials have alleged that they have spotted
Iranian intelligence and military personnel working in Afghanistan
to destabilize the interim Afghan government.
   Karzai denied the U.S. charges and described Iran's role in
Afghanistan as "sensitive and very important."
   "Iran has always given praiseworthy assistance to the Afghan
people in the fight against terrorism and the ouster of the
Taliban," he added.
   Karzai invited both Tehran and Washington to contribute to the
rehabilitation of Afghanistan, while stressing that "the ongoing
situation between Iran and the United States will never affect the
promotion of relations between Afghanistan and the Islamic Republic
of Iran."
   Afghanistan and Iran, two Muslim neighbors with a common border
of 950 kilometers, share a wide range of historical, religious,
cultural and linguistic affinities.
   Iran, who been hosting millions of Afghan refugees following the
past two decades of civil war in Afghanistan, played a role in the
establishment of the Afghan interim government after the defeat of
the Taliban regime.
   Iran has expressed its willingness to assist in the Afghan
reconstruction with an offer of 560 million U.S. dollars in grants
and loans over five years.  Enditem