( CNN ) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel says his Afghan counterpart assured him that an important security pact will be reached with Kabul in a `` timely manner , '' despite a failure so far to forge a deal . Hagel made the remark during a visit to Afghanistan on Saturday . What is known as the bilateral security agreement -- ready to be implemented but still unsigned -- initially has been front and center in Hagel 's visit . Hagel met with Afghanistan 's officials , including the country 's defense minister , as Washington works to get Afghanistan to ink a bilateral security agreement to keep some U.S. and other coalition troops in the country after next year . The Defense secretary said that from what he has heard in his discussions with Afghan ministers , they believe it 's in the country 's interest to have such an agreement -- which lays out the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan after 2014 , when the NATO-led force of some 80,000 troops is scheduled to leave . `` The minister of defense assured me that the BSA would be signed and would be signed in a very timely manner , '' Hagel said , making reference to Defense Minister Bismullah Khan Mohammadi . But failure to forge a security pact with Afghan President Hamid Karzai has generated growing consternation among U.S. officials . The security agreement itself has been endorsed by the Afghan council of tribal leaders , called the loya jirga , but Karzai said he wo n't sign it until after the country 's elections in April and until certain conditions are met . These conditions include an end to U.S. raids on Afghan homes and the release of Afghan prisoners from the Guantanamo Bay detention center . Washington has resisted such changes , saying Karzai 's demands are new provisions added to a deal that was already reached . Hagel said he had n't planned to meet with Karzai and played down the significance of being in Afghanistan and not meeting with the president . He said the trip had been planned for weeks and its purpose was visiting troops and meeting with Afghan commanders to assess their progress . And , he told reporters , there have been many discussions at the political level with Karzai during recent visits by other others , such as Secretary of State John Kerry . Hagel emphasized the importance of the loya jirga 's decision and said `` we are planning for a post-2014 presence here . '' But he said NATO -- which commands the multination International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan -- will eventually need clarity on the security agreement 's status so it can properly plan its work in the country . NATO warned it may be forced to withdraw all of its troops from Afghanistan by the end of next year if Karzai does n't sign a security agreement with the United States . Karzai , meanwhile , is scheduled to make a visit to Iran on Sunday . Iran 's semi-official Mehr News said Karzai will be meeting with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani . According to state-run Press TV , an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said Tehran does n't believe the security agreement will benefit the Afghan government and nation . Marzieh Afkham said Tehran 's position is that the security pact is not `` useful for the long-term expedience and interests of Afghanistan . '' and could have a negative impact on regional issues . CNN 's Jamie Crawford , Joe Sterling , and Reza Sayah contributed to this report .
Hagel visiting troops in Afghanistan . Defense secretary gets assurances . Karzai visiting Iran on Sunday .