Zalmay Khalilzad Meets Taliban Acting Foreign Minister in Kabul
The Taliban’s Acting Foreign Ministry has announced that Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, met and held talks with Amir Khan Muttaqi, the acting head of the ministry, during his visit to Kabul. According to the statement, the discussions focused on bilateral relations, opportunities, and challenges.
The statement issued by the Taliban’s Foreign Ministry said that following the withdrawal of foreign forces and the end of the war, Afghanistan and the United States have entered a new phase of interaction. This claim comes despite the fact that no official diplomatic relations have been established between the two sides.
The US Embassy in Kabul has remained closed since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, and Washington has not recognized the Taliban administration. However, on certain specific occasions, US officials have traveled to Kabul to discuss prisoner exchanges.
According to the statement, the latest visit took place on December 13, during which Zalmay Khalilzad, accompanied by a US delegation including Adam Bohrer, President Donald Trump’s Special Representative for Prisoner Affairs, was present. The Taliban’s Foreign Ministry added that Khalilzad praised security and reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan during the meeting; a claim not independently confirmed by other organizations.
