US In Talks With Taliban Over Bagram Air Base, Says Trump

Peter Reynolds, 80, and his wife, Barbie, 76, were detained in February while returning to their home in Bamiyan, where they had worked in education sector for nearly two decades. Their release was mediated by Qatar, a British official said. The couple left Afghanistan later on Friday.

Taliban Foreign Ministry spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi confirmed the release in a post on X, saying the pair had “violated Afghanistan’s laws” and were freed after judicial proceedings. He did not provide details.

The Taliban previously suggested the arrest was due to a “small issue” or a misunderstanding involving allegedly fake Afghan passports. The couple’s children said no credible charges were ever produced despite repeated searches.

A British diplomat said the release formed part of the Taliban’s broader effort to secure international recognition.

Earlier, Taliban sources told The Telegraph the Haqqani network had detained the couple in a political move to pressure Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told reporters that Afghanistan’s future should be in the hands of the Afghan people and warned that escalating tensions and creating confrontation in the region is undesirable.

Trump said Thursday that the US wanted Bagram partly because of its proximity to China. He stressed that one of the reasons the US wants that base is because of its proximity to where China manufactures its nuclear weapons.

Taliban's senior foreign ministry official Zakir Jalali also reacted, describing Trump as a “successful businessman” and framing his comments on Bagram as part of a bargaining tactic.

CNN, citing three sources, reported this week that Trump has been pressing his national security team for months to find a way to return to Bagram, which was abandoned during the US withdrawal in 2021.

China’s Foreign Ministry said it hoped all parties would play a constructive role in promoting regional peace and stability, as US–China rivalry increasingly shapes their positions on Afghanistan.

In an interview with Geo News, Asif said Afghan soil continues to be used for terrorist attacks against Pakistan. He recalled Pakistan’s involvement in the Soviet war of the 1980s and the US-led intervention after 2001, arguing that Islamabad is still suffering from their consequences.

Asif also said Pakistan expects its Arab allies to respond to militant attacks launched from Afghan territory. Without naming Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, he accused some political factions of colluding with the Taliban and having “blood on their hands.”

‘Islamic NATO’ Proposal

Asif highlighted Pakistan’s recent strategic agreement with Saudi Arabia, saying he has long supported a NATO-style defence framework for the Islamic world.

He argued that Pakistan has been more exposed than most nations to regional instability over the past four to five decades. He stressed that It is the fundamental right of regional countries, particularly Muslim populations, to stand together in defence of their lands and nations.

He added that the deal with Riyadh does not prevent other countries from joining or stop Pakistan from pursuing similar agreements with additional partners.

According to the report, discussions on restoring American control of the facility began in March. Sources said Trump views Bagram as strategically important for monitoring China, accessing Afghanistan’s rare earth minerals, establishing a counterterrorism hub against Islamic State, and potentially reopening a US diplomatic mission in the country.

One source cautioned, however, that any such move would require a renewed American military presence in Afghanistan, a step that would conflict with the 2020 Doha Agreement, signed during Trump’s first term, which mandated the complete withdrawal of US forces.

It is not clear whether the Taliban have engaged in talks over Bagram’s possible handover.

At a joint news conference with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday, Trump confirmed the effort his administration is trying to take back Bagram Air Base.

Trump has frequently attacked his successor, Joe Biden, over the chaotic US withdrawal in 2021, arguing it handed Taliban control of American weapons, equipment, and Bagram itself.

Washington first granted the waiver in 2018 to give Afghanistan secure access to regional markets and support its reconstruction. But the State Department said the exemption no longer fits with the Biden administration’s “maximum pressure” campaign against Tehran. Companies and institutions using the port now risk US penalties.

India signed a 10-year agreement with Iran in 2024 to operate and expand Chabahar, located in south-eastern Iran. Since 2018, New Delhi has overseen its development, investing more than $120 million. Plans include boosting annual capacity to 500,000 containers and connecting the port to Iran’s rail network by 2026.

For Afghanistan, Chabahar has been a lifeline, enabling trade with India and other markets without relying on Pakistan, which has frequently blocked Afghan goods at its borders.

The waiver’s removal leaves New Delhi exposed to US sanctions and jeopardises Chabahar’s role as a counterweight to Pakistan’s Chinese-backed Gwadar Port. For Afghanistan, it risks renewed dependence on volatile Pakistani routes at a time of strained ties with Islamabad.

Analysts warn the US decision could seriously disrupt Afghanistan’s already fragile transit access, undermining its ability to import and export essential goods.