KABUL — Worried that U.S. troops could stay in Afghanistan beyond 2014, Iran is mounting an aggressive campaign to fuel anti-American sentiment here and convince Afghan leaders that a robust, long-term security partnership with Washington would be counterproductive, Afghan officials and analysts say.
The Iranian initiative involves cultivating closer ties with the Taliban, funding politicians and media outlets, and expanding cultural ties with its eastern neighbor. Although the effort has been underway for years, Iran has been moving with increased vigor in recent months because the U.S. and Afghanistan are negotiating a security agreement that could set the parameters for a U.S. troop presence here after 2014.
Iran’s overtures to the Taliban coincide with a renewed push by Washington to hold peace talks with the insurgent group in Qatar, as well as growing tension between Iran and the U.S. in the Persian Gulf. The Washington Post
