As the U.S. announced its plan to decrease the number of U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan, Iran’s state-owned PressTV described the U.S. troop presence in Afghanistan as the Taliban’s “pretext to justify and expand the violence and attacks against [Afghanistan’s] human and financial resources.” The article warned that “instability remains…despite the presence of thousands of U.S.-led troops.”“Scores killed in attack on Peshawar school; Taliban claims responsibility,” Al Jazeera, December 16, 2014, http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/12/16/scores-killed-inattackschoolinpeshawar.html. This slant is unsurprising considering Iran’s desire for increased influence in Afghanistan versus the U.S.’s goal of a democratic and Western-oriented Afghan ally. PressTV emphasized “Tehran’s preparedness to enhance its security and economic cooperation with Kabul” while simultaneously declaring the U.S. occupation as a failed policy.“Scores killed in attack on Peshawar school; Taliban claims responsibility,” Al Jazeera, December 16, 2014, http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/12/16/scores-killed-inattackschoolinpeshawar.html.