The Presidents of Afghanistan, Iran, and Tajikistan pose for the cameras at a regional conference taking place in the Tajik capital.<br/> <br />Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the U.S. and NATO are pursuing a plan of hegemony in the East, encircling China, Russia, and India under the pretext of combating terrorism.<br/> <br />He also warned of growing instability in the West's relations with Pakistan, and said the United States could no longer dictate policy to the rest of the world.<br/> <br />The U.S. delegation to the conference left the hall when Ahmadinejad began to speak and only returned after the conclusion of his speech.<br/> <br />The Iranian leader said Afghanistan is capable of running its own affairs without the presence of foreign troops, and said NATO should spend a proportion of its military budget to help revive the Afghan economy.<br/> <br />He said that Iran would offer technical and economic assistance, including investment in education, healthcare, and infrastructure projects.<br/> <br />Nick Rowlands, Reuters.
