UN Sanctions On Iran Reimposed After Decade As Snapback Mechanism Takes Effect

The visit would mark a significant step, as Germany has had no formal diplomatic relations with the Taliban since the group seized power in August 2021. Germany closed its embassy in Kabul following the collapse of the former Afghan government.

According to Bild, the delegation is expected to discuss carrying out deportations of Afghan migrants convicted of crimes using commercial flights rather than chartered planes. A ministry spokesperson confirmed the planned trip but declined to provide details on who would take part.

Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt has pressed for the return of Afghan nationals convicted of crimes. In the past, Germany deported dozens of Afghans to Kabul with Qatari mediation, while allowing two Taliban representatives to visit Berlin in exchange. It remains unclear what concessions the Taliban may demand in return for a potential new agreement.

The push has sparked heavy criticism from opposition parties. The Greens condemned the talks, with domestic policy spokesman Marcel Emmerich accusing the government of “fawning over a terrorist group” and breaking a diplomatic taboo. He said the Taliban “tortures, stones, suppresses women and tramples human rights,” and warned that opening dialogue with the group undermines Germany’s values.

Dobrindt has countered that the previous German government also held talks with the Taliban on deportations.

Plans to Resume Deportations to Syria

The interior minister also intends to restart deportations to Syria by the end of the year. He said an agreement with Damascus is expected that would initially allow the return of convicted criminals, followed later by individuals without residence rights.

Dobrindt argued that Germany must distinguish between Syrian migrants who are integrated and working and those receiving social benefits without valid asylum claims. He has instructed the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees to resume processing certain pending asylum cases so that rejected applicants can be deported.

Speaking at a quadrilateral meeting with the foreign ministers of Pakistan and Russia and China’s special envoy on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Abbas Araghchi said Iran rejects foreign political or military intervention in Afghanistan and any attempt to use the country’s problems for geopolitical purposes.

Araghchi criticised the two-decade US presence in Afghanistan, saying it brought only misery, insecurity, terrorism, narcotics, corruption, poverty and displacement. He described the 2021 withdrawal of US forces as a “humiliating retreat” and said Washington and NATO remain responsible for many of Afghanistan’s current challenges.

He warned that any renewed establishment of foreign military bases in or around Afghanistan would violate the country’s sovereignty, fuel extremism, and undermine fragile regional stability.

Araghchi also voiced concern over Afghanistan’s worsening humanitarian conditions and the activities of terrorist groups in the country. He urged the Taliban to take transparent, verifiable and decisive measures against militant groups, saying counterterrorism must be comprehensive, non-discriminatory and consistent with international law.

His remarks come as the United States explores regaining access to Bagram air base. US President Donald Trump has warned the Taliban that failure to agree would carry serious consequences.

They warned thatsuch moves would threaten regional peace and stability.

Meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, the ministers said NATO must accept responsibility for Afghanistan’s current crisis and underscored the need to respect the country’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence.

In a joint statement, they rejected redeployment of foreign military bases inside or around Afghanistan and called instead for strengthening regional frameworks such as the Moscow Format, quadrilateral talks and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation to help address Afghanistan’s political impasse.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Pakistani Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar and China’s special envoy for Afghanistan, Yue Xiaoyong, attended the meeting.
The four countries urged lifting unilateral sanctions on the Taliban, releasing Afghanistan’s frozen assets and removing travel bans on Taliban officials.

The meeting came days after US President Donald Trump said Washington was seeking to regain access to the Bagram air base and warned of consequences if the Taliban refused. The Taliban rejected the remarks and reiterated calls for diplomatic dialogue with the US.

Concerns Over Militants and Narcotics

The ministers expressed alarm over the presence of groups including al-Qaida, Islamic State Khorasan (IS-K), Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), Baloch separatists and Jaish al-Adl. They urged the Taliban to act decisively and without discrimination to prevent Afghan soil being used against its neighbours, and to block militant recruitment, financing and access to weapons.

They also highlighted rising production of synthetic drugs such as methamphetamines and called for stronger regional cooperation against narcotics trafficking.

Call for Inclusive Governance

The four countries reiterated demands for an inclusive political system in Afghanistan that reflects the aspirations of all segments of society.

They said ensuring women’s and girls’ access to education, employment, public participation, justice, essential services and freedom of movement would be critical to building long-term peace, stability and prosperity in Afghanistan.

US Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio also attended the talks.

Sharif thanked Trump for acknowledging Pakistan’s role in counterterrorism and called for deeper cooperation on security and intelligence. He praised Trump’s leadership style as bold and decisive and credited him with helping to prevent a major disaster in South Asia by mediating a cease-fire between India and Pakistan during their four-day military clash in May.

The prime minister extended an invitation for Trump to make an official visit to Pakistan and lauded his recent efforts to press for an immediate end to the war in Gaza, including hosting key Muslim leaders in New York earlier this week for talks on restoring peace in the Middle East.

Sharif said he hoped Pakistan-US relations would strengthen under Trump’s leadership and invited American companies to invest in agriculture, information technology, mining, minerals and energy in Pakistan.

The meeting was the first official bilateral engagement between the two leaders, six years after former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit to Trump at the White House in 2019.

At the White House on Thursday, Trump referred to his administration’s rebuilding of the US military and the equipment left behind in Afghanistan following the 2021 withdrawal. He again criticised the withdrawal, calling it the most shameful moment in US history.

Trump in recent weeks has repeatedly highlighted his intention for the United States to regain control of Bagram, once the country’s largest military base in Afghanistan. In late September, during a joint press conference in London with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, he said Washington was seeking to take back the base, which the Taliban seized after the US exit.

He later confirmed that his administration was holding discussions with the Taliban on a potential return to Bagram and warned of consequences if the facility was not handed back.

Taliban officials have rejected the prospect of a US return, insisting Bagram is part of Afghanistan’s sovereign territory and will not host foreign forces.