Taliban Remove Barriers Near U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Public Access Still Restricted

Bikdeli will now serve as the Special Representative of the Iranian Foreign Ministry for Afghanistan, according to reports from Iranian media.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry’s website notes that Bikdeli does not have a direct connection to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which has historically played a significant role in shaping Iran’s foreign policy towards Afghanistan.

In related developments, the role of the Iranian president’s special representative for Afghanistan has been eliminated as part of recent structural reforms. The responsibilities of the special representative will now fall under the direct purview of the Foreign Ministry.

Bikdeli brings extensive diplomatic experience to the position, having served in various roles within the Foreign Ministry. These include Acting Deputy Minister for Consular, Parliamentary, and Iranian Expatriates Affairs, as well as Head of the Taskforce for Economic Reconstruction of Afghanistan. He has also served as Iran’s ambassador to Türkiye, Azerbaijan, and Cyprus.

Kazemi Qomi, who assumed the position of special representative in October 2021, played a pivotal role in managing Iran’s relations with Afghanistan during a period of significant transition.

While Iran, like many nations, does not officially recognise the Taliban government, it has maintained a pragmatic relationship with the group. Tehran has handed over Afghanistan’s diplomatic missions to Taliban representatives, reflecting its continued engagement with the new power structure in Kabul.

The organisation comprises ten member countries, including Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Turkey.

Esmail Baghaei, the spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, confirmed that high-ranking officials and ministers from ECO member states will attend the meeting. Representatives from the organisation’s regional specialised agencies and secretaries-general of certain multilateral economic organisations are also expected to participate in this key regional event.

Baghaei described ECO as one of the oldest regional economic cooperation frameworks among developing nations, committed to promoting regional economic development. He further noted that the Islamic Republic of Iran has assumed the rotating presidency of ECO for 2024.

The Economic Cooperation Organisation is an intergovernmental regional body established in 1985 by Iran, Pakistan, and Turkey, with the aim of fostering economic and cultural collaboration among its members. In 1992, the organisation expanded by welcoming seven new members: Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

However, he indicated that removing the Taliban from Russia’s list of terrorist organisations could serve as a step towards broader engagement, particularly in economic cooperation.

Rudenko emphasised that the proposal to delist the Taliban remains under active consideration. He noted that over the past three years, the Taliban have demonstrated an intention to build constructive relations with regional countries, including Russia.

“We have observed their efforts to combat ISIS-Khorasan, strengthen control over other terrorist groups operating within Afghanistan, and eradicate the drug trafficking threat,” Rudenko said.

The Deputy Foreign Minister added that Russia is taking measures to establish interaction with the Taliban on mutually significant issues. He explained that the Taliban have invited Russian investors to participate in several major economic projects in Afghanistan.

In October 2023, Rudenko acknowledged that removing the Taliban from the terrorist list would not be a swift process due to the need for changes in Russian legislation. Zamir Kabulov, Russia’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, had previously announced in June 2023 that the proposal to delist the Taliban had been submitted to President Vladimir Putin for final approval. Kabulov noted that certain issues concerning the Taliban remain unresolved, and a decision would only be made once these matters are addressed.

During a visit to Tashkent on 8 June 2023, President Vladimir Putin remarked on the need for some level of engagement with the Taliban, despite the complexities involved. He highlighted the importance of consulting with regional partners, particularly in Central Asia, when shaping Russia’s approach to relations with the Taliban.

“We take into account the views of all our partners and allies, and we will coordinate our stance on this matter accordingly,” Putin stated.

The letter claims that the agreement, signed during Trump’s first presidency in 2020, has failed to deliver peace and has instead intensified the ongoing crisis in Afghanistan.

The Doha Agreement facilitated the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, which subsequently led to the collapse of the Afghan government and the Taliban’s return to power. In their statement, 25 organisations advocating for women’s and human rights criticised the agreement, stating that it had exacerbated violence, fostered extremism, and contributed to the export of terrorism to neighbouring countries and the wider world.

The activists have called upon the incoming U.S. administration to increase diplomatic pressure on the Taliban and to prosecute its leaders in international courts for “war crimes” and widespread human rights abuses.

The letter highlights the Taliban’s oppressive policies, which have stripped Afghan women and girls of fundamental rights, including access to education, employment, and personal freedoms. It also notes a marked increase in reports of torture, beatings, forced marriages, and the detention of women protesting against the regime’s restrictive laws.

The activists further accuse the Taliban of perpetrating unlawful killings, persecuting ethnic and religious minorities, and carrying out enforced disappearances. They argue that the Doha Agreement and three years of Taliban rule have precipitated a humanitarian crisis, forcing many Afghans into dire circumstances and triggering waves of displacement.

The letter warns of the Taliban’s role in narcotics production and trafficking, alleging that the group relies on drug revenues to sustain its regime. This, the activists claim, poses a significant threat to global public health and the economies of the region.

Additionally, they cautioned that the worsening humanitarian crisis and mass displacements could lead to increased migration to neighbouring countries and Europe, creating new political and humanitarian challenges.

Donald Trump, during a past debate with Kamala Harris, stated that the Doha Agreement had been terminated under his administration due to the Taliban’s failure to adhere to its commitments. “The Doha Agreement was terminated by us because they [the Taliban] did not fulfil their obligations,” he said.

Despite this, key provisions of the agreement — particularly regarding intra-Afghan dialogue and the formation of an inclusive national government — remain unimplemented.

Some former U.S. and Afghan officials have criticised the Doha Agreement, asserting that it weakened the Afghan government and paved the way for its eventual collapse. Zalmay Khalilzad, the former U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan who signed the agreement with Mullah Baradar, the Taliban’s Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, recently commented that Trump’s return to the White House could present an opportunity for the agreement’s full implementation.

The open letter serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing struggles faced by the Afghan people, particularly women, under Taliban rule, and it calls for renewed international attention and action to address the worsening crisis.

UNAMA has called on the Taliban to thoroughly investigate the attack on Sufis in Baghlan and prevent the recurrence of such attacks in the future.

On Thursday night, unidentified gunmen attacked the shrine of Sayyed Padshah Agha in Nahrin district of Baghlan province and opened fire on Sufis praying.

The Taliban's police command in Baghlan confirmed in a statement that at least 10 people were killed in the attack.

The United Nations Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) wrote in a note on Saturday, November 23, that the Taliban must ensure the protection of communities.

Richard Bennett, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, said, "Religious minorities continue to be under serious threat. All Afghans have the right to worship in peace."

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the deadly attack, but sources told Afghanistan International that the Taliban had previously warned the custodians of the Sayyed Badshah Agha shrine in Nahrin, Baghlan to refrain from holding zikr ceremonies at the shrine.

According to sources, the Taliban's Directorate for the Promotion of Virtue in Baghlan had declared the circles of the Khanqah to be "illegitimate”.

According to official reports, since the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan, Sufi shrines and monasteries have been targeted by deadly attacks at least five times, in which at least 113 people have been killed and 228 others injured.