DOHA, Jan 27: Iran’s defence minister said on Sunday his country was worried about the US presence in Afghanistan and dismissed as baseless US reports that Iran was interfering in Afghan affairs or harbouring Al Qaeda fighters.

“Originally, the US had said it would leave Afghanistan soon after the war against the Taliban was over. But now they are bringing new ideas, propositions and it seems they intend to maintain their presence in the region,” Ali Shamkhani said.

“It is certainly a matter of worry for us,” he told reporters at the end of a 3-day visit to Qatar. The United States launched its military campaign in Afghanistan in October to flush out Osama bin Laden and his Al Qaeda group, blamed by Washington for the Sept 11 attacks on US cities, and to punish their Taliban protectors.

The head of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation said last week Washington was worried that Al Qaeda operatives had escaped Afghanistan through Iran. Earlier this month US President George W. Bush warned Tehran not to destabilize the new Afghan government or harbour fleeing Al Qaeda members.

Iranian authorities have emphatically denied helping Al Qaeda members to escape from Afghanistan or seeking to undermine the interim Afghan government.

“It is one of those usual false allegations...Our borders are firmly secure and impregnable,” Shamkani said.

“We are fully supporting the interim government and we want peace and stability in Afghanistan. We are not arming any group,” he said.

Shamkhani told Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani during his visit that Iran wanted to extend military cooperation with the six Gulf Cooperation Council states — Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and the UAE.

Non-Arab Iran opposes the deployment of US and western forces in the Gulf region and is keen to sign defence agreements with its Gulf Arab neighbours. But Gulf Arab states, which look to the West for military support, have declined Iran’s offer.—Reuters