Taliban Holds 19,000 Detainees, Including 800 Women, Amid Torture Allegations

The ministry insisted that merely opening new issues without resolving past conflicts will not lead to a solution for Afghanistan's challenges.

On Wednesday, the ministry called for Afghanistan's prompt involvement in international frameworks and underscored the formation of Iran's regional contact group dedicated to Afghan affairs.

In a related development, Iran's representative in Kabul critiqued the appointment of the new United Nations representative for Afghanistan, labeling it "inappropriate." The ministry underscored that Afghanistan's approach to aligning with neighboring countries will set the stage for its role in the global system.

The Foreign Ministry proposed that practical and reassuring outcomes should precede the adoption of new "gender-focused" approaches in addressing Afghanistan's persistent issues. The statement emphasized the need for the United Nations to prioritize stability, security, and humanitarian concerns in Afghanistan and the surrounding region.

Furthermore, the ministry warned of severe consequences for international peace and security if the current challenges in Afghanistan are not successfully navigated.

Despite not officially recognizing the Taliban, Iran has deepened its political, diplomatic, and economic ties with the group over the past two years, with Iranian officials stating they will maintain relations despite the lack of formal recognition.

According to Qomi, Muttaqi expressed willingness to host a joint meeting of special representatives from regional countries in Kabul.

The Iranian Embassy in Kabul announced this development on Tuesday. After participating in the Moscow Format regional meeting, Qomi had mentioned that parties considered Iran's suggestion for enhancing regional cooperation on Afghanistan through a contact group.

Later, the Iranian Embassy in Kabul reported that Qomi met with J.P. Singh, an official from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, who also supported the formation of the contact group.

However, Iran has yet to successfully establish this group and has not provided details on its mechanism. Iran hopes this group will encourage more coordinated regional involvement in Afghan affairs and with the Taliban.

During his meeting with Muttaqi, Qomi reaffirmed Iran's readiness to expand cooperation and assist the Afghan people. They also discussed mutual support for Palestine.

Meanwhile, the Iranian Embassy in Kabul stated that the Taliban's Foreign Minister reiterated his condemnation of the recent Kerman attack, describing it as a "savage and seditious act" and a "shared pain" for both nations.

While condemning the Kerman attack, the Taliban has refrained from labelling it as a terrorist act. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack in Kerman, where two suicide bombers detonated explosives.

Although the Taliban condemns ISIS for organizing suicide attacks, the group itself has carried out deadly suicide missions in Afghanistan over the past two decades. Taliban officials have even mobilized special suicide units within their military ranks since gaining control of Afghanistan.

He urged Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs to engage with Pakistan, Afghanistan, and other nations linked to supporting terrorism.

Addressing the parliament on Tuesday, Jalazadeh stressed the importance of a more assertive stance from Iran's security and intelligence agencies against terrorism.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Speaker of Iran's Parliament, met with Tajik counterpart Rustam Emomali in Tehran to discuss concerns about ISIS's activities in Afghanistan.

Contrastingly, Hassan Kazemi Qomi, Iran's Special Representative for Afghanistan, met with Abdul Kabir, the Taliban's Deputy Prime Minister for Political Affairs, in Kabul, emphasizing cooperation with the Taliban. This meeting was reported by the Taliban to have taken place on Sunday, highlighting Iran's policy of cooperation with the Taliban government, as evidenced by several signed agreements.

Despite not officially recognizing the Taliban government, Iran maintains close relations with the group, having transferred control of the Afghan embassy in Tehran to them.

The recent Kerman explosions, claimed by ISIS, have intensified criticism of Iran's ties with the Taliban.

Zadran shared on a social media platform that the incident resulted after the detonation of an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) within a vehicle.

The explosion occurred at approximately 4:00 PM local time in the Alokhil area of the 16th police district in Kabul. Zadran mentioned that the group's security forces were present at the site, and arrested a suspect believed to be connected to the explosion.

As of now, no individual or group has claimed responsibility for the incident.

Earlier, Afghanistan International received reports from local sources indicating an explosion within a passenger car in the Qala-e-Zaman Khan area. This marks the second recent explosion in Kabul city.

On Saturday evening, a passenger bus was targeted in an explosion in the Dashte Barchi area in western Kabul. UNAMA reported that at least 25 individuals, mostly from the Hazara community, lost their lives or sustained injuries in the incident.

Ghalibaf attributed the recent explosions in Kerman, Iran, to ISIS's presence in Afghanistan, labeling ISIS Khorasan as a threat to neighboring countries.

During the meeting on Monday, Ghalibaf did not elaborate on who he believes are the "founders of ISIS" in the region. He emphasized the need for extensive cooperation to combat terrorism and trafficking of weapons and narcotics in Afghanistan.

According to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), Emomali also described the situation in Afghanistan as worrying for both Iran and Tajikistan. He called for expanded relations between Tajikistan and Iran, stressing the importance of continuous communication and regular exchange of ideas and intelligence between relevant agencies to counter terror and drug trafficking.

Tajik officials have repeatedly warned over the past two years about active terrorist groups in Afghanistan and their attempts to infiltrate other countries.

Emomali also noted that the current situation in Afghanistan negatively impacts various segments of Afghan society, including women and children. He stated that an inclusive government representing all political and ethnic groups should be formed in Afghanistan.

Following the recent explosions in Kerman, Iran's Ministry of Intelligence announced that one of the suicide bombers in the province was a Tajik national.