This is John Batchel, conversation with good colleague Bill Rajo of the Foundation for the

Defense of Democracy of the News that the State Department is moving closer. The Trump administration

is thinking about moving closer to the Taliban, recognition perhaps not yet, but certainly

dealing with it directly. What does this mean for the region, for the states

bordering Afghanistan? Bill here speaks to what it means to Iran. Iran has never left Taliban or

Afghanistan. It's been there since the beginning. To do what? And what can Pakistan do with a country

that's now dealing with the U.S.

at the same time, it's hosting many al-Qaeda camps.

Here's Bill Rajah to explain.

Iran and the Taliban.

More of this tonight.

Well, first, I'd like to say that the Pakistani state learned that it can, which

supported the Taliban and the

counties, that it's learned that using terrorism as a far tool of foreign policy works.

Iran has learned that lesson long, long ago. It has really not faced any major, there's

been no major repercussions for its support of terrorist militias throughout the

world. These, you know, the U.S. and other countries attack the symptom, but don't go after the

state. Iran has been dealing with the Taliban. You know, look, I testified in a case where we proved that Iran was providing material

support to not just the Taliban, but to al-Qaeda in order to help eject the U.S. from

Afghanistan.

Iran maintains those ties with the Taliban.

We know that Iran was supporting Haqqani network sells and in and around Kabul

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