Parliament, FM Review Tasnim Photographer's Taliban Detention in Joint Session

During the joint session on Tuesday, Fadahossein Maleki, a member of the Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, expressed concern regarding the Taliban's detention of an Iranian photojournalist.

Speaking to the Tasnim News Agency about the joint session, Maleki said that members of the commission met with the Foreign Minister and some of his deputies during Tuesday afternoon's joint meeting. He highlighted that one of the key topics discussed at the session was the detention of a country's photographer in Afghanistan.

"Considering that Mr. Hassan Kazemi Qomi, the special representative of the President for Afghan affairs, was also present at the session, he emphasized that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is diligently pursuing the reasons for the photographer's detention by the Taliban, responding to demands by the National Security Commission's " Maleki added.

Maleki went on to say that talks had begun with Kabul and Afghan intelligence agencies in order to interact with the local authorities, and that the situation is being closely monitored in an effort to secure Mohammad Hussein Velayati's prompt release.

Maleki also mentioned that, in addition to these developments, the issue of Hirmand water rights was another item on the day's agenda and it received special attention. The commission members believed that because of the Taliban's breaches of trust, this issue needed to be prioritized and handled by country's diplomatic apparatus, Maleki added.

Earlier last week, Mohammad Hossein Velayati, an Iranian photojournalist and editor for Tasnim News Agency, legally entered Afghanistan through an air border. He stayed in Kabul for ten days, but upon his return to the airport, he was detained without receiving a clear explanation.

Despite ongoing efforts, the Taliban has not given any explanation for Velayati's detention.