Iran Presses Afghan Opposition To Pursue Reconciliation With Taliban

Australia is the first country to formally integrate a Taliban-specific sanctions system into domestic law.

The ministry said the framework was created in response to the Taliban’s continued suppression of women, girls, minorities and the broader Afghan population since August 2021. The system incorporates into Australian law the Taliban figures and entities already listed under United Nations Security Council sanctions.

Under the new framework, restrictions are imposed on providing weapons, services, training, advice or commercial activity to designated Taliban individuals and entities. Travel bans also apply to those listed.

Simultaneously, Australia announced financial sanctions and travel bans against several senior Taliban officials, whom it described as “so-called ministers,” along with the group’s chief justice, citing their roles in violating women’s rights and undermining governance and the rule of law. Those sanctioned include:

Mohammad Khalid Hanafi

The Taliban minister responsible for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, Hanafi is known for hardline positions on women’s rights. Measures under his leadership include compulsory full-body coverings for women, bans on music and artistic expression, restrictions on foreign media, compulsory mosque attendance, and prohibitions on women travelling without a male guardian.

Neda Mohammad Nadim

The Taliban’s higher education minister, Nadim is aligned with the Kandahar hardline circle loyal to Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada. He banned women from attending universities in 2022 and has said that critics of the Taliban system “deserve death.”

Abdul Hakim Sharei

The Taliban justice minister, educated at Darul Uloom Haqqania in Pakistan, has said the Taliban’s duty is to enforce Islamic law rather than respond to international criticism. He also heads the commission charged with reclaiming land designated as “Emirati land,” a process in which affected individuals cannot file complaints.

Abdul Hakim Haqqani

The Taliban chief justice and a founding member of the movement, Haqqani previously served as chief justice during the 1996–2001 Taliban regime. A close confidant of Akhundzada, he oversees a powerful council of religious scholars.

Australia Tightens Pressure on the Taliban

The Foreign Ministry said the new sanctions regime reflects Australia’s firm stance on Afghanistan’s deteriorating human rights situation. The objective, it said, is to increase pressure on the Taliban over the repression of women and girls and to hold the group accountable.

The framework includes a humanitarian exemption under UN Security Council Resolution 2615 to ensure aid and essential services can continue. Australia has also introduced a group permit system to help facilitate humanitarian work when restrictions arise.

Australian sanctions law applies both within the country and to Australian citizens and entities abroad. Violations carry criminal penalties, including potential imprisonment and substantial fines.

Australia has provided more than USD 260 million in humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover, with an additional USD 50 million allocated for the 2026 fiscal year, prioritising support for women and girls.

In a statement, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the militants were killed in two separate operations in the province bordering Afghanistan. It described the fighters as members of the “Fitna al-Khawarij” linked to India, a term the army uses to refer to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Weapons and ammunition were reportedly recovered.

The TTP has not yet commented.

According to ISPR, seven militants were killed in Tank and two in Lakki Marwat during exchanges of fire with Pakistani forces. The army accused them of involvement in targeted killings of civilians and other “terrorist activities” against security personnel.

The announcement came as heavy gunfire was exchanged between Taliban and Pakistani forces in Spin Boldak district. Both sides blamed each other for starting the confrontation.

Taliban officials in Kandahar said three civilians were killed and five others wounded in the border clashes.

In a video message on Saturday, Fitrat urged neighbouring states to expand meaningful cooperation with the group to preserve stability and strengthen regional connectivity.

His remarks followed comments by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who told India Today that engagement with the Taliban was necessary because the group represents the current reality in Afghanistan and is fighting “terrorist organizations such as ISIS.” Russia is the only country to have formally recognized the Taliban, and despite concerns over rising extremism, Moscow continues to emphasise engagement and cooperation.

India, too, has expanded its contacts with the Taliban. Following heightened tensions between the Taliban and Pakistan, the group’s foreign and commerce ministers travelled to New Delhi, where they agreed with Indian officials to deepen trade and transit ties. India is also expected to supply medicines to Afghanistan after the Taliban banned pharmaceutical imports from Pakistan.

The 33-page document focuses mainly on restricting migration, countering China, deterring Russia, and strengthening US homeland security. South Asia and the Middle East receive only brief references.

A review of earlier National Security Strategy papers shows that in 2010 Afghanistan was one of Washington’s top security priorities and, after Iraq, appeared most frequently in the text. Its prominence declined sharply in the 2017 and 2022 editions, and it was removed from the list of priority countries. In the 2025 version, Afghanistan has disappeared entirely.

In recent months, Trump repeatedly commented on the Bagram air base and suggested the need to “take it back”, remarks that triggered strong reactions from the Taliban and concern among regional states. Despite those earlier statements, the president has remained silent on Bagram for nearly two months, and the new strategy assigns no role or priority to Afghanistan.

The National Security Strategy, issued by each US administration, outlines the government’s vision for protecting national security, its political and military priorities, major threats, and its approach to global engagement.

The decision was made during a meeting in Samangan attended by Taliban governors from northwestern provinces and senior security officials.

The spokesperson for the Taliban governor in Balkh said in a statement on Friday that the meeting was held in Aybak with the participation of provincial governors, police commanders, intelligence chiefs, the deputy commander of the Taliban’s 209th Corps, and the head of the military court in Balkh. According to the spokesperson, the new unit will be able to deploy quickly to border areas whenever required.

The announcement comes days after two attacks launched from inside Afghanistan toward Tajikistan killed five people, including three Chinese nationals, and wounded five others. On Friday, 28 November, the Taliban’s Foreign Ministry condemned the attacks and said the administration was fully prepared to help secure the border and conduct a joint investigation.

Earlier this year, the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) voiced concern over instability in Afghanistan and the growing threats emanating from the country’s northern provinces. The bloc stressed the need for a targeted intergovernmental programme to reinforce Tajikistan’s border with Afghanistan.

According to information from the CSTO, the border-strengthening initiative is scheduled to begin in 2025 and will be implemented in three phases over five years.