The Taliban and their embassy in Tehran have remained silent following the discovery of the mutilated body of Kubra Rezai, a 26-year-old Afghan migrant woman, in a suburb of the Iranian capital.
The case has drawn widespread condemnation from human rights activists and migrant advocates, but Afghan authorities under Taliban control have issued no public statement.
Rezai, who went missing in April, was found dismembered in the home of a 32-year-old Iranian man in Pakdasht, southeast of Tehran, according to a report by Ensaf News. The suspect, reportedly a married security guard, allegedly attempted to destroy her remains using acid. Parts of her body were previously discovered in a rubbish dump in another area of Tehran Province.
Despite mounting calls for justice, Taliban officials in Kabul and representatives in Iran have yet to comment on the case. The Taliban-controlled Afghan embassy in Tehran did not respond to an inquiry from Afghanistan International regarding Rezai’s murder.
The group has previously remained silent on similar cases, including the execution of Afghan nationals in Iran and the deaths of Afghan labourers. Critics argue that the Taliban avoid addressing rights violations against migrants in order to maintain political ties with the Islamic Republic.
Human rights organisations have described Rezai’s murder as emblematic of the broader dangers faced by Afghan migrants, particularly women, in Iran. Activists continue to call for transparency from Iranian authorities, who have yet to release detailed information about the investigation. Iranian journalists have also reported facing official restrictions on covering the case.
