Moscow is concerned that the US may attempt to seize control of a key Afghan base as its military conflict with Iran intensifies, a senior Russian diplomat has said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin's special envoy on Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, stated that the US demand for the Bagram airbase is not new and dates back to the Trump administration.
The Bagram airbase, built by the USSR in the 1950s, was previously used by Soviet forces, then the US and NATO in operations against the Afghan Taliban.
Kabulov expressed hope that the Afghan regime will continue to reject US and NATO military deployments in the region, citing Russia's own stance on the matter.
The comments come as US President Donald Trump had expressed a desire to regain control of Bagram airbase in 2025, citing its strategic proximity to China.
Kabulov also commented on the ongoing Afghan-Pak clashes, stating that predicting the duration of the conflict is a difficult task.
