Over 500000 Afghan Migrants Have Left Via Dogharoun Border, Says Iranian Official

Speaking at the 17th ECO Summit on Friday, 5 July, Baradar called on member states to recognise the “political reality of Afghanistan” and to follow Russia’s lead in recognising the Taliban government.

Baradar urged ECO countries to strengthen cooperation with Afghanistan in trade, investment, energy, transportation, agriculture, environmental protection, and climate change mitigation. “The economies of ECO member countries can only reach optimal growth when Afghanistan is an active and dynamic part of the equation,” he said.

Meeting with Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister

On the sidelines of the summit, Baradar held talks with the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan to discuss expanding political, economic, and trade relations. He described Kazakhstan as a key and reliable regional partner.

According to Taliban officials, Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister pledged $500 million in investment for the Torghundi–Herat railway project and expressed interest in increasing fruit imports from Afghanistan and investing in the country’s mining sector.

ECO member states include Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.

The Taliban’s growing engagement with ECO leaders follows Russia’s recent decision to formally recognise the Taliban government, signalling a broader push by the group for regional legitimacy and economic integration.

In a report published on Friday, Hengaw said the executions were carried out on various charges, including political and religious offences, murder, drug-related crimes, rape, and armed robbery.

According to the group, only 19 of the executions were officially acknowledged by Iranian authorities. At least 17 prisoners were reportedly executed in secret, without notifying their families.

The report also highlighted that 16 political prisoners were executed in June on charges of “spying for Israel.”

Hengaw noted that two women were among those executed during the month, one in Qom and another in Ghezel Hesar prison in Karaj. One was convicted of affiliation with religious groups, while the other faced the death penalty for premeditated murder.

The rights group previously reported that at least 617 people, including 40 Afghan nationals, were executed in Iran during the first half of 2025.

Hengaw expressed grave concern over the rise in executions, arbitrary arrests, systemic violence, and other human rights violations across the country. The organisation called on the international community to increase pressure on Iranian authorities to halt the escalating use of capital punishment.

Speaking at the 17th Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Summit on Friday, 5 July, Mirziyoyev welcomed the participation of a delegation from Afghanistan’s interim government, led by Taliban Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar.

He said that after a long pause, a delegation from Afghanistan’s "interim administration" is attending the summit.

This marks the first time in four years that the Taliban have been invited to an ECO heads-of-state summit. The summit was hosted in the city of Khankendi, Azerbaijan.

President Mirziyoyev did not comment on Russia’s recent move to formally recognise the Taliban government.

Speaking at the 17th ECO Summit on Friday, Baradar claimed that Russia had acknowledged the Taliban due to what he described as the group's “balanced, economy-focused foreign policy.” He argued that the Taliban administration has created new opportunities for development and regional connectivity.

Baradar said the Taliban are prepared to collaborate with ECO countries on implementing strategic projects across the region. He voiced strong support for the proposed North–South Corridor in Asia, calling it a potential “new chapter” in strengthening economic cooperation and integration among member states.

This marks the first time in four years that the Taliban have been invited to attend an ECO heads-of-state summit. During his remarks, Baradar urged member countries to contribute to the reconstruction and expansion of regional transit routes through Afghanistan. He also proposed that Kabul host the next ECO summit.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov made the remarks in response to a question about whether Putin was preparing for talks with the Taliban leadership.

At present, there are no such plans, Peskov said adding that, however, within the framework of bilateral relations, contacts at various levels will continue.

While Moscow has increased its engagement with the Taliban in recent months, including accepting a Taliban-appointed ambassador, Peskov’s comments indicate that top-level communication remains off the table for now.