Iran denies support to Afghanistani Taliban

Iran on Monday termed as "sheer lies" allegations that it supports the Taliban group in Afghanistan, a media report said.

"The allegations about Iran's support to Taliban are sheer lies, false and irrelevant," Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi said reacting to a Taliban official's recent comments.

Al-Arabia reported on Sunday that Mullah Zabihullah, the official spokesman of the "Afghan Taliban" and the second man in the movement, has revealed the group's relations and new networks with Iran, Xinhua news agency reported.

"The movement is trying to benefit from all legitimate means to reach a regional agreement as part of the war against the American invasion," Zabihullah was quoted as saying, further adding "the Imara (Taliban) holds ongoing networks with a large number of regional and neighbouring states".

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Qasemi dismissed the report and said the Taliban claims are pre-planned scenarios by the supporters of terrorism to spread Iranophobia.

"The Islamic republic has always been the forerunner in the fight against terrorist groups and has paid the due costs," he said.