Taliban and Pakistani Officials Hold Talks in Tehran Amid Strained Ties
Senior Taliban and Pakistani officials met in Tehran on the sidelines of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) summit, amid escalating tensions between the Taliban administration and the Pakistani government and the recent collapse of peace talks in Istanbul.
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and senior Taliban security official Ibrahim Sadr held discussions brokered by Iranian officials during the ministerial meeting of ECO member states in Tehran. According to Iranian state media, the meeting was mediated by Iran’s Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi.
A video circulated in local media shows Naqvi sitting beside Sadr and warmly holding his hand—an image that contrasts sharply with the recent strained relations between the two sides.
Relations between the Taliban administration and Pakistan have significantly deteriorated due to cross-border attacks, accusations of Taliban support for militant groups operating along the border, and other allegations. A recent four-day negotiation involving Turkey and Qatar in Istanbul ended without any tangible outcome.
At the ECO summit, Ibrahim Sadr appeared on behalf of Sirajuddin Haqqani. Sources familiar with internal Taliban affairs describe Sadr as a close ally of Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada and someone who maintains strong ties with the Islamic Republic of Iran.
