Iran Executes 6, Including 25-Year-Old Afghan, Over Murder, Drug Charges

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Muttaqi said Afghanistan’s strategic location, youthful population, and abundant natural resources uniquely position it to serve as a regional transit and trade hub. He emphasised the Taliban administration’s commitment to fostering economic partnerships and invited foreign investors to engage with confidence.

Highlighting growing ties with Beijing, Muttaqi praised China’s role in Afghanistan’s agricultural and technology sectors and described it as one of the Taliban government’s key economic partners.

During his ongoing visit, Muttaqi met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday to discuss strengthening bilateral relations and deepening economic cooperation. According to Taliban foreign ministry deputy spokesperson Hafiz Zia Ahmad Takal, Wang Yi pledged continued political and economic support for Afghanistan and vowed to help remove barriers to Afghan imports, particularly agricultural goods.

Muttaqi’s China trip follows a recent visit to Iran, where he met with President Masoud Pezeshkian as part of broader efforts by the Taliban to bolster regional ties and attract foreign investment amid international isolation.

Nasir Ahmad Andisha, Afghanistan’s ambassador to Geneva, voiced strong objections to the plan during the meeting, stating that the UN’s approach marginalises non-Taliban actors and undermines the role of women, civil society organisations, and opponents of the Taliban regime.

According to Andisha, the Mosaic initiative refers to the Taliban as the primary stakeholders in Afghanistan’s future, while reducing other groups to the vague label of “other Afghan stakeholders.” He argued that this category, in reality, encompasses the Afghan people, women’s rights defenders, human rights organisations, and civil society leaders, many of whom remain in exile or under threat.

Andisha further noted that a similar pattern of exclusion is visible at the regional level, where dialogue is taking place through opaque and unaccountable “intelligence channels,” leaving non-Taliban voices out of key discussions.

“The UN has not meaningfully shared the Mosaic plan with Afghan civil actors or activists,” Andisha said. “Some UN representatives believe that many of Afghanistan’s exiled figures are not important enough to be involved in discussions about the country’s future.”

He accused the UN of lacking the political will to engage a broad spectrum of Afghan stakeholders, saying the organisation “is not interested” in inclusive dialogue.

In a broader critique, Andisha also acknowledged internal weaknesses among anti-Taliban opposition forces, stating they have yet to develop a unified and coherent strategy. Without naming Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, he remarked, “Only one man has a plan, and he is implementing it,” warning that this plan is dragging Afghanistan further backward.

The fourth round of the Antalya Process commenced on Monday in Türkiye, bringing together Afghan and international participants to discuss prospects for launching a genuine, inclusive national dialogue aimed at resolving the ongoing crisis in Afghanistan.

The violence erupted over the Taliban’s ongoing efforts to eradicate poppy fields in the area.

According to sources, villagers attempted to carry the body of a man reportedly killed by Taliban forces during the initial confrontation in a protest march demanding justice. In response, Taliban military officials deployed reinforcements to the area on Monday.

Several residents and poppy field owners allegedly supported by local Taliban members have since taken to the surrounding mountains, establishing defensive positions against the advancing Taliban units.

Eyewitnesses reported that both sides fired warning shots into the air, raising fears of an imminent escalation. A source from the village said the deceased was later buried following mediation by Fasihuddin Fitrat, the Taliban’s Chief of Army Staff. The villagers had initially planned to carry the body to the Taliban governor’s office in Faizabad as part of a protest.

The unrest began on Sunday when a Taliban unit dispatched to destroy poppy fields reportedly clashed with armed locals. Witnesses said that poppy field owners, backed by sympathetic Taliban affiliates, exchanged gunfire with the enforcement team. At least one person was killed and four others injured during the confrontation.

Ahmad Jawid Mojaddedi, a former member of the Badakhshan Provincial Council, criticised the Taliban’s “double standards” in implementing the poppy ban. Speaking to Afghanistan International, he said, “While the Taliban enforce the ban harshly in Badakhshan, poppy cultivation continues unchecked in many other provinces.”

This latest episode mirrors similar confrontations from the previous year, underscoring growing discontent in Badakhshan over the Taliban’s eradication campaigns. Farmers in the region have repeatedly voiced frustration, arguing that poverty and unemployment leave them no choice but to cultivate poppies as a means of survival.

According to the report, the families were repatriated through several key border crossings, including Torkham, Spin Boldak, Angoor Ada, Bahramcha, Pul-e-Abrisham, and Islam Qala.

Both the Islamic Republic of Iran and Pakistan have been detaining and deporting undocumented Afghan migrants for several months, a process that continues despite diplomatic engagements.

Mihyung Park, head of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Afghanistan, previously warned that the country is now experiencing a second wave of mass returns from Iran and Pakistan.

In an earlier statement, the Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that during a meeting between Taliban foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, the two sides discussed bilateral relations and the ongoing situation of Afghan migrants. Similar discussions have reportedly taken place with Mohammad Sadiq, Pakistan’s special envoy for Afghanistan.

However, the Taliban’s continued reporting of daily deportations suggests that these diplomatic efforts have had minimal impact on the ongoing expulsions of Afghan nationals by both neighbouring countries.

The call comes as clashes intensify between Taliban forces and local farmers over the destruction of poppy fields in the province.

Yaftali strongly criticised the Taliban’s “highly ethnocentric leadership” and accused the group of deepening ethnic divisions across Afghanistan. He claimed this discriminatory approach was a key reason for the population to stand up against Taliban rule.

Local sources told Afghanistan International on Sunday that armed confrontations erupted in Farghamanch village, Jurm district of Badakhshan, as Taliban forces attempted to eradicate poppy fields. According to the sources, owners of the fields allegedly supported by local Taliban members engaged in a gunfight with Taliban officials tasked with enforcement.

Although Yaftali did not directly comment on the recent clashes, he denounced the Taliban for widespread ethnic discrimination and accused the group of betraying Islamic principles.

“The Taliban came to power under the pretext of defending religion, but they neither had nor have any connection to the true values of Islam,” he said. “Justice is a pillar of Islam, yet the Taliban have oppressed other ethnic groups and shown no mercy even to free-minded Pashtuns.”

Yaftali also condemned the Taliban for “plundering Badakhshan’s mines,” illegal land seizures, and sidelining local professionals in provincial administration.

“All of their actions are aimed at creating deep ethnic divisions, which will have disastrous long-term consequences for the people of Afghanistan,” he warned.

The Taliban have officially banned poppy cultivation across Afghanistan, but enforcement has led to repeated violent incidents especially in Badakhshan, where resistance from farmers has been particularly fierce. In contrast, poppy cultivation reportedly continues with less interference in provinces such as Helmand.

Badakhshan holds strategic importance for the Taliban, not only as one of the few northern provinces where the group maintains a substantial presence, but also as the home province of Qari Fasihuddin, the Taliban’s Chief of Army Staff. Its rich mining resources are also critical to the Taliban’s efforts to reduce reliance on foreign aid through resource extraction.

Addressing former members of the Afghan security forces, Yaftali called on them to prepare for resistance. He also issued an appeal to Badakhshani Taliban members, urging them to surrender and promising no retribution if they abandon the “tyrannical regime of the Taliban.”

“Do not remain as human shields,” he said, calling on local fighters to reject the leadership’s divisive agenda.