TEHRAN, Iran: The Islamic Republic of Iran on Monday denied that the Afghan Taliban Chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour entered Pakistan from its territory prior to being ‘killed’ in a US drone attack in Balochistan.
The US top officials including President Barack Obama have confirmed the killing of Mansour in a drone strike but Pakistan has yet to verify such claims in whose territory the Taliban Leader is believed to have been killed on May 21.
The Pakistani Foreign Office though on Sunday confirmed the sharing of information about the drone strike by the US authorities in Balochistan but said that the vehicle which was hit by the US drone had entered Pakistan from Taftan border on May 21.
The Foreign Office didn’t disclose the identity of any dead person as Mullah Akhtar Mansour.
In a statement in Tehran on Monday, the Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hossein Jaber Ansari denied that Mansour had been in the Islamic Republic before the attack.
“The competent authorities of the Islamic republic deny that this person on this date crossed Iran’s border and into Pakistan,” the spokesman said.
However, he added that “Iran welcomes any positive action leading to peace and stability in Afghanistan.”
The spokesman further said that Iran supports the Afghan government in its fight against the Taliban group.
The senior Taliban sources, according to AFP, have also confirmed the killing to Mullah Akhtar Mansour and told that a shura (council) was under way to select a new leader.
