Taliban Senior Official Breaks Down in Tears Over Restrictions On Girls’ Education

Burchett stated that Rahimi has "potential connections" with the Taliban’s intelligence agency and should be expelled to safeguard national security and uphold American values.

On Friday, Burchett wrote on the social media platform X: “The Biden administration willingly handed a visa to a man who enjoyed unrestricted access to top Taliban commanders.”

In October 2024, Burchett had previously addressed a letter to former U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, raising concerns about Rahimi’s associations with senior Taliban figures and the risks his presence might pose in the U.S.

The letter stated: “Rahimi has actively participated in efforts to sanitise the image of the brutal Taliban regime, consistently portraying their actions as a source of stability in Afghanistan while encouraging members of the Afghan diaspora in the West to return to Taliban-controlled areas.”

Burchett further warned that Rahimi’s presence in the U.S. could endanger former Afghan military personnel and their families currently residing in the country. He expressed deep concerns for their safety and well-being.

Additionally, the congressman urged the U.S. State Department to closely monitor Rahimi’s activities and associations, arguing that his connections could pose a significant threat to national security and undermine the fundamental values upheld by American citizens.

The letter also referenced Rahimi’s alleged ties to high-ranking Taliban officials, including Sirajuddin Haqqani, as well as his reported access to the Taliban’s training camps and the residences of former Afghan government officials.

In his latest statement on X, Burchett reiterated that Rahimi remains in the United States and must be identified and deported without delay.

Rahimi, who recently migrated to the U.S., had been active as a YouTuber in Afghanistan over the past three years. During this period, some critics accused him of collaborating with the Taliban, further fuelling controversy over his presence in the United States.

Sources informed Afghanistan International that political figures including Salahuddin Rabbani, Abdul Rashid Dostum, Abdul Rab Rasul Sayyaf, Mohammad Mohaqiq, and Karim Khalili are expected to participate in the discussions.

According to obtained information, the primary objective of these meetings is to bolster Pakistan’s engagement with the political opposition to the Taliban. Additionally, discussions will centre on the potential reopening of these groups’ political offices in Islamabad and exploring avenues for joint cooperation in countering the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

This meeting marks the second visit by a high-ranking Pakistani delegation to Türkiye in the past three months, underscoring Islamabad’s increasing diplomatic and strategic efforts in the region.

The ISI officials’ engagement with Taliban opponents highlights Pakistan’s growing initiative to strengthen ties with Afghan political leaders and seek common ground in addressing regional security challenges.

These developments come amid escalating concerns over Taliban activities and mounting domestic and international pressure to formulate viable political and security solutions for Afghanistan.

The organisation welcomed the return of the Afghan women's national cricket team to the field after years of exile, calling it "great news”.

On Friday, January 31, Amnesty International supported the Afghan women's cricket team's match in Melbourne, Australia, saying that the Taliban must "immediately" lift "severe restrictions" on the rights of Afghan women and girls.

The organisation stressed that the Taliban must end systematic gender-based harassment in Afghanistan.

The Afghan women's cricket team recently played a friendly match against Women's Cricket Without Borders after nearly three and a half years.

The match, held in Melbourne, Australia, ended with the Afghan women's cricket team losing by seven wickets. However, some sports experts have called the return of the women's team to the field a "major victory" for Afghan women.

After the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021, they banned all sports for women, among other restrictions. The members of the Afghan women's cricket team, who are based in Australia, have not participated in any official match since then.

Pourjamshidian said that smugglers in Afghanistan continue to maintain their drug stockpiles.

In April 2022, the Taliban banned poppy cultivation, as well as its production, consumption, and sale.

Pourjamshidian, however, said, "We are witnessing the entry of narcotics into our country [Iran] from the previous stockpiles that smugglers had in Afghanistan."

He recently visited Kabul with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, saying, "The issue of arms smuggling and terrorism is one of the most important issues we have with Afghanistan."

Mizan News Agency reported on Friday, January 31, that Pourjamshidian added, "During the visit to Afghanistan, the promotion of border security, Iran's rights, and prevention of drug smuggling to Iran were pursued."

In November this year, the Ministry of Interior of the Islamic Republic of Iran announced that the production of traditional drugs in Afghanistan has decreased, but instead the production of industrial drugs such as methamphetamine has increased. The ministry called the increase in the production of industrial drugs in Afghanistan dangerous for the security of the region and the world.

Abbas Araghchi traveled to Kabul on Sunday morning, January 26, along with a political and economic delegation, and met with the Taliban's prime minister, foreign ministers, and defence ministers.

This was the first visit of the Islamic Republic's foreign minister to Kabul since the Taliban's return to power in August 2021.

In a meeting with Taliban officials, Araghchi stressed that a new chapter in relations between the Islamic Republic and Afghanistan will begin.

After his visit to Kabul, Abbas Araghchi called the challenges to the Persian language, rights, border security, internal security of Afghanistan, security of Shiites, security of merchants, narcotics, terrorist groups and ISIS "very important challenges".

Nazari acknowledged the delay in the payment of employees' salaries, fluctuations in the value of the Afghani currency, and the suspension of the work of foreign institutions, but called it a "normal" phenomenon.

Earlier, Afghanistan International, citing reliable sources from government agencies, reported that the authorities had officially informed them that their salaries would not be paid in the next three months.

Sources also said that the Taliban has banned logistical procurement and purchases in offices.

Two days after the publication of this report, Latif Nazari, the Taliban's deputy minister of economy, posted a video of himself on the social media platform X and emphasised that the fluctuation of the value of the Afghani in the market, the delay in the payment of employees' salaries, and the suspension of the activities of foreign institutions are a "normal" matter and cannot create an obstacle to Afghanistan's progress.

US foreign aid, with the exception of aid to Israel and Egypt, was suspended during the first hours of Donald Trump's presidency. Hours after the suspension of these aids, the relative economic stability in Afghanistan was disrupted and the price of the Afghani currency reached 80 Afghanis.

Following the fall in the price of the Afghani currency, the Taliban took strict measures to control the market.

In the past few days, local sources reported the deployment of Taliban intelligence forces in Sarai Shahzada, the main currency exchange centre in Afghanistan. According to money changers, the Taliban monitors the exchange rate and conducts strict inspections of their cash registers and phones.

Money changers say that these actions of the Taliban have stopped the purchase and sale of dollars in this centre.

The Taliban also sold the dollar to money changers for 78 afghanis on Wednesday, but hours later, they forcibly auctioned it for 75 afghanis in the market, causing heavy financial losses to the money changers.

Following the sharp decline in the value of the Afghani, the Taliban's Central Bank has injected about $70 million into the market in the past week. However, money changers claim that the actual amount of dollars auctioned is much lower than the amount announced by the Taliban.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid on Thursday announced the official rate of the dollar at 74 afghanis and stressed that "the afghani has maintained its value and there is no need to worry".