Khalil Haqqani Had Continuous Contact With NRF, Says Fazl Ahmad Manawi

Mandana Tishehyar called them human capital and considered their migration to Western countries to be detrimental for Iran.

In the talk "Immigration of Scientific Elites in Iran Today, Challenges and Solutions," this university professor said that Afghan immigration to Iran began in the 1970s and now their second and third generations are present in Iran, those who, according to Tishehyar, were educated and raised in Iran.

According to IRNA, Tishehyar said that after the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan, a wave of people left the country, "including educated people such as university professors, students, doctors, engineers, lawyers, economists, sociologists, journalists, writers, and athletes who brought financial capital to Iran in addition to human capital”.

Tishehyar, pointing out that these people leave Iran for Western countries, America, and Australia after a while for various reasons, said, "No effort was made to ensure their continued existence. The migration of this group of Afghans from Iran is not in the country's interest and will end up being detrimental to Iran in the long run."

The university professor went on to say that as Afghan immigrants leave Iran, “their next generation will become alienated from the Persian language”. She said, “Elite Afghan immigrants could have helped Iran solve some issues such as smuggling, security, counter-terrorism, the environment, climate change, and the water issue.”

The assistant professor at Allameh Tabataba‘i University also pointed out the issue of preventing women and girls from getting an education in Afghanistan, saying that preventing women from getting an education by the Taliban "will result in their children not being educated properly in the future, which will have consequences for Iran as well”.

This university professor in Tehran criticises the lack of efforts to retain elite Afghan immigrants, even though in recent months the Islamic Republic has launched a massive campaign to collect and deport Afghan immigrants from their country.

In addition, restrictions on the education of children of immigrant families have increased, and employment and even settlement of Afghans have been banned in many Iranian cities.

The harsh treatment and inappropriate treatment of Afghan immigrants by law enforcement officials and, in some cases, by Iranian citizens has made it difficult for families to consider staying in Iran. In recent years, many Afghans have tried to move to European countries, the United States, and Australia.

He asked Taliban officials to guarantee that the militants would not return to Pakistan, but they did not respond positively.

Hamid Mir, a well-known Geo News TV host, on Wednesday released a part of his interview with Asif, who has always made harsh and critical statements against the Taliban.

The Pakistani defence minister said, "After the Taliban returned to power, I went to Afghanistan and met with the Taliban’s defence minister and other leaders. I told them that if the terrorists did not stop, we would be forced to take action and they should not complain later."

Pakistan has bombed Afghan border areas at least twice in the past three years, saying that the attacks target members of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) who have safe havens in the areas.

In the latest incident, the Pakistani army attacked the Barmal district of Paktia province, killing at least 48 people. The Taliban claimed that civilians, including children and women, were killed in the attack. However, Pakistani officials claim that they had targeted leaders of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Pakistan has asked the Taliban not to allow Pakistani militants to operate in border areas and attack Pakistani security forces. Khawaja Asif claimed in the interview that the Taliban “demanded 10 billion rupees to transfer members of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to another location”.

Earlier, there were reports that the Taliban planned to move TTP members to northern Afghanistan, but the group has not shown any interest in being present in the north.

The senior Pakistani official said that internal threats pose a greater threat to Pakistan's security than external threats. He accused former Prime Minister Imran Khan of settling more than 40,000 Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) members in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He addressed the recent US sanctions against his country's missile programme and said that those responsible for the genocide in Gaza have no right to protest against Pakistan.

The United States has sanctioned several Pakistani companies and entities for their involvement in Pakistan's ballistic missile development programme. The country said that Islamabad has no justification for building these missiles, which could also endanger US security.

The arrests come in the wake of new regulations introduced by the Taliban-controlled Central Bank of Afghanistan, requiring money exchangers to provide a guarantee of six million Afghanis to obtain a licence.

The Currency Exchange and Monetary Services law, implemented in 2024, prohibits anyone from providing monetary services without a valid licence. Sources indicate that the Taliban has intensified its enforcement efforts, particularly between Thursday of last week and Wednesday, 1 January.

Taliban military units reportedly blocked access to Behdad and Khurasan markets in Herat, detaining money exchangers, shopkeepers, and even ordinary citizens collecting funds. These arrests follow months of increased pressure on the money exchange community in Herat.

In late July 2024, the Taliban had already shut down the Khurasan Market, Herat’s main hub for currency exchange. This closure prompted dozens of money exchangers to stage a protest outside the Taliban governor’s office in Herat, demanding the market’s reopening and the removal of restrictive conditions on their operations.

In addition to protests, the Afghan Money Exchangers Union had gone on strike in recent months to oppose the Taliban’s stringent requirements. A money exchanger in Herat told Afghanistan International that many exchangers cannot afford the six million Afghani guarantee, while others who can are reluctant to comply due to a lack of trust in the Taliban.

In its New Year’s message, the council accused the Taliban of imposing policies that have “paralysed” the lives of the Afghan people.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the council reflected on 2024 as a year marked by significant global events and profound political, economic, and social crises in Afghanistan. The council criticised the Taliban’s escalating restrictions across security, economic, social, and legal spheres, which have further destabilised the country and disrupted the daily lives of its citizens.

The statement highlighted the plight of women and girls, stating that 2024 has been “particularly difficult and filled with restrictions” for them. The council condemned the Taliban’s policies, which have systematically eroded the rights and freedoms of Afghan women and girls, further deepening their marginalisation.

Looking ahead, the council expressed hope that 2025 would bring about collective efforts and international cooperation to address Afghanistan’s ongoing crises. The council called on global actors to work towards resolving the country’s political, economic, and social challenges and to take concrete steps to end the injustices faced by its people.

As Afghanistan enters the new year, the council urged the international community to prioritise the rights and welfare of the Afghan population and to support initiatives aimed at restoring stability and justice in the region.

The office has reported that half of Afghanistan’s arable land remains unused due to insufficient water supplies.

On Wednesday, the office published a report titled “The Shah wa Arus Dam: A Significant Step in Agricultural Development,” which highlights the detrimental impact of climate change on water availability and agricultural land. The report underscores the critical need for constructing dams and implementing effective water management systems to address these challenges.

The Taliban emphasised that building dams would not only enhance agricultural productivity but also serve as a significant step towards generating electricity. Afghanistan currently produces only 20% of its electricity needs domestically, relying heavily on imports from neighbouring countries. The report stressed the urgent necessity of increasing domestic power generation capacity through dam construction.

In addition to addressing water scarcity, the Taliban highlighted the role of dams in mitigating natural disasters. Afghanistan, one of the countries most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, has experienced a series of severe droughts, floods, and the destruction of homes and farmland in recent years.

The report also raised concerns about the future of wheat cultivation in Afghanistan, predicting below-average yields due to adverse weather conditions. Above-average temperatures are expected to disrupt groundwater supplies needed for spring planting, while colder-than-anticipated weather could further hinder crop growth.

The Taliban’s Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs argued that investment in dams and water management systems could help alleviate these challenges. It stated that such initiatives would improve agricultural production, create employment opportunities in rural communities, and reduce migration from villages to urban centres.