Iran Urges Taliban Cooperation On Gradual Return Of Afghan Migrants
The Iranian Embassy in Kabul announced that Alireza Bikdeli, Iran's Ambassador to Afghanistan, met with Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s Foreign Minister.
The Iranian Embassy in Kabul announced that Alireza Bikdeli, Iran's Ambassador to Afghanistan, met with Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s Foreign Minister.
In a statement, the embassy said the foreign minister highlighted Tehran's commitment to cooperating with the Taliban in pursuing agreements to facilitate the gradual return of Afghan migrants from Iran.
The statement further emphasised Araghchi's view on the importance of Afghan migrants actively participating in the reconstruction of Afghanistan.
During the meeting, Bikdeli provided an update to the foreign minister regarding the current state of Tehran’s relations with the Taliban.
While Iran, like other countries, has not formally recognised the Taliban, it maintains close political and economic ties with the group.
However, Iran has recently increased pressure on Afghan migrants through intensified arrests and deportations, resulting in significant numbers being expelled daily.
Sources in Baghlan Province told Afghanistan International on Monday that Qadriya, a 28-year-old woman recently released from Taliban custody, was severely beaten by her family upon returning home.
According to these sources, Qadriya sustained serious facial injuries during the assault.
The Taliban released Qadriya from Kiligai Prison on Saturday, 5 April, handing her over directly to her father. Prior to her release, Qadriya had explicitly warned authorities that returning to her family posed a grave risk to her life, stating that she feared she would be killed.
On Monday, local Taliban officials, accompanied by members of the provincial Ulema Council, visited Qadriya's father's home to assess her condition. Her father initially resisted allowing them entry, prompting officials to forcibly enter the home.
Inside, officials reportedly found Qadriya in a severely distressed condition. A source stated that when questioned about her facial injuries, Qadriya accused her father, husband, and brother of assaulting her. However, her father denied the allegations, claiming instead that his daughter was mentally ill and had inflicted the injuries upon herself.
In response, the Taliban's municipal court ordered that Qadriya remain under protective care until her father formally guarantees her safety.
Prior to her release, Qadriya had appeared in a video obtained by Afghanistan International from inside Kiligai Prison. In the video, she pleaded for help, clearly expressing fears that her life would be endangered if she was returned to her family, particularly by her father.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has reiterated its firm and ongoing commitment to providing humanitarian aid to the people of Afghanistan.
In a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the UAE confirmed that Saif Mohammed Al Ketbi, the UAE’s Special Envoy to Afghanistan, had emphasised the country’s dedication to deepening cooperation with Afghanistan. This includes support for refugee repatriation, addressing humanitarian needs, and contributing to the country’s stability and development.
Al Ketbi, accompanied by a high-level UAE delegation, visited Kabul last Thursday. He held meetings with senior Taliban officials, including Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban’s Acting Foreign Minister; Abdul Salam Hanafi, Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs; and Nooruddin Azizi, Minister of Industry and Commerce.
According to the statement released on Monday, the talks focused on ways the UAE can support both humanitarian and development efforts in Afghanistan.
Al Ketbi also discussed strengthening economic ties and supporting reconstruction projects during his meeting with the Taliban’s commerce minister.
The statement underlined Al Ketbi’s reaffirmation of the UAE’s “steadfast commitment and continued support” for the Afghan people.
Separately, the Taliban’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce stated that both sides agreed on enhancing trade relations. They reportedly discussed the potential appointment of a Taliban commercial attaché in the UAE, the establishment of an Afghanistan trade centre to manage imports and exports, and facilitating the participation of Afghan industrialists and traders in the Gulfood exhibition in Dubai.
The Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also noted that discussions between Muttaqi and Al Ketbi covered the expansion of bilateral ties, visa facilitation, and regional developments.
Andrey Serenko, head of the Russian Centre for Contemporary Afghanistan Studies, has warned that Afghanistan is heading toward a fresh civil war. He claimed that the Taliban’s survival is temporary and largely due to support from the United States.
In a recent interview, Serenko said the Taliban regime is unsustainable and will not endure—even with American funding or the rise of Sirajuddin Haqqani, despite international support for him.
He argued that once a civil war begins, foreign actors will withdraw, leaving Russia with no choice but to intervene. However, Serenko acknowledged that Moscow is not currently prepared to do so due to its ongoing war in Ukraine and the pressure of international sanctions.
Still, he urged the Kremlin to start preparing for future instability in Afghanistan. He stressed the need for a multi-faceted foreign policy, warning against reliance on a single approach. Serenko advised that Russia should engage with various Afghan factions to safeguard its long-term interests.
He said that internal divisions within the Taliban have worsened since they took power. While the group initially tried to maintain unity, infighting and rivalry have escalated.
In addition to internal fractures, Serenko pointed to growing armed resistance. He named groups such as the National Resistance Front and the Afghanistan Freedom Front, which continue to launch attacks—particularly in areas where Taliban officials now fear to appear after dark.
US Support: The Taliban’s Lifeline
Serenko accused the United States of propping up the Taliban regime to avoid renewed instability. He questioned who would implement the Doha Agreement if the Taliban collapsed, implying this concern drives continued US engagement.
He described the US as the Taliban’s primary financial backer and claimed Washington handed over power in Afghanistan to the group. This, he argued, explains why American support continues.
Serenko dismissed any notion that the Taliban’s past resistance to US forces makes them potential allies for Russia, calling the idea “absurd.” He insisted no other country cooperates with the Taliban as extensively as the US does.
Despite this backing, Serenko predicted the Taliban’s rule will not last. He said their three and a half years in power are not significant in historical terms. He compared the situation to previous Afghan regimes, noting the communist government survived over a decade before falling, while the republican government collapsed in just three days. He suggested the Taliban will meet a similar end.
Russia’s Taliban Delisting Decision Raises Concerns
Serenko also addressed Russia’s recent move to consider removing the Taliban from its list of terrorist organisations. When asked about the benefits of this action, he expressed scepticism.
He warned that delisting the Taliban would not make them allies. Instead, it could damage relations with anti-Taliban resistance groups that still look to Russia for support.
Russian state media previously reported that the Prosecutor General’s Office has asked the Supreme Court to temporarily remove the Taliban from the list. The court is expected to review the request on 17 April.
Women’s rights and human rights activists have called on Amnesty International, UNAMA, the UN Human Rights Council, and other global bodies to urgently intervene in the case of Qadriya, a domestic violence survivor from Baghlan province.
They say the Taliban have placed her life in danger by handing her over to her father—who had previously called for her to be stoned to death.
Qadriya, 28, had warned in a video recorded from Kiligai Prison in Baghlan that the Taliban planned to release her into her father’s custody. She expressed fear for her life and said she might be killed once returned to her family home.
On Saturday, 5 April, the Taliban freed her and handed her over to her father. Her current whereabouts remain unknown. A group of activists has described the handover as a “criminal act.”
Campaigners from within Afghanistan, particularly from the Purple Saturdays Movement, have appealed to international human rights organisations, foreign governments, and justice advocates to raise their voices and protest on Qadriya’s behalf.
The statement stressed that Qadriya is not a criminal, but a woman who has endured prolonged abuse and violence.
In her video message, Qadriya revealed that her father filed a complaint against her in a Taliban court two years ago, demanding she be sentenced to death by stoning. At the time, she had fled to her sister’s home in Kabul to escape domestic violence in her father’s household.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has called on donor countries to maintain their support for the Afghan people in 2025. The agency warned that 22.9 million Afghans remain in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.
The appeal comes ahead of the Afghanistan Coordination Group meeting, set to take place this week in Istanbul, Türkiye. In a statement received by Afghanistan International, UNAMA stressed the critical importance of sustained international aid.
The meeting will bring together representatives from donor countries, international financial institutions, and UNAMA officials.
Indrika Ratwatte, UN Humanitarian Coordinator and Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Afghanistan, emphasised the need to preserve key resources and systems that support the Afghan population.
She also highlighted the importance of transitioning from emergency aid to long-term, sustainable solutions. Ratwatte described this shift as vital not only for Afghanistan but also for the wider region and the global community.
In 2024, international humanitarian partners secured $3.21 billion to address humanitarian and basic needs in Afghanistan.
UNAMA noted that the United Nations 2024 Annual Results Report for Afghanistan will be released alongside the Istanbul meeting. The report details the progress achieved through international support over the past year.
The statement added that donor contributions have enabled the UN to deliver life-saving aid and improve essential services across the country, including services for women and girls.