The Taliban have said President Ghani’s government is the only obstacle to peace

Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai, the deputy head of the Taliban delegation, called President Ghani’s government the only obstacle to peace.

Mr Stanekzai raised the issue with a number of members of the Taliban delegation who had traveled to the Russian capital, Moscow, at a news conference broadcast by Russia’s Sputnik network.

“The only reason for peace is the current administration of Ashraf Ghani, which they do not want,” he said. “One of the dishonesty is that the team they have chosen has not been given full qualifications.”

Three days ago, during a visit by a Taliban delegation led by Mullah Baradar, the head of the Taliban delegation to Qatar, to Iran, Mr. Shamkhani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme Security Council, said he saw the Taliban as determined to fight the United States.