Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban’s acting Foreign Minister, held a telephone conversation with Bakhtiyor Saidov, Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister, to discuss the Trans-Afghan railway project and holding of a trilateral transit meeting with Pakistan.
According to Zia Ahmad Takal, the deputy spokesperson for the Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Muttaqi reaffirmed the Taliban’s full readiness to implement the Trans-Afghan railway project.
He also stressed the importance of strengthening bilateral and multilateral relations, and expanding political, economic, and transit cooperation with Uzbekistan.
Takal stated that both sides discussed the potential convening of a trilateral trade and transit meeting at the foreign ministers’ level involving the Taliban, Uzbekistan, and Pakistan. He further claimed that Afghanistan’s exports to Uzbekistan had tripled during the first four months of 2025 compared to previous periods.
During the conversation, Muttaqi emphasised the need to enhance transit ties and facilitate the issuance of visas by Uzbekistan for Afghan traders and citizens. He urged that both nations should seize emerging regional opportunities for their mutual benefit.
According to Taliban officials, it was agreed that necessary coordination for the proposed trilateral meeting would continue through diplomatic channels.
Meanwhile, the press office of Russia’s Trade Mission in Uzbekistan announced on Saturday that specialists from Russia and Uzbekistan would jointly design the Trans-Afghan railway. It was reported that Russian and Uzbek experts would plan the shortest new transit corridors connecting Southeast Asia to the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), China, and Europe.
