Taliban’s Acting Foreign Minister Says Full Support from 50 Countries Not Expected
Amir Khan Muttaqi, acting Foreign Minister of the Taliban administration, stated that given the nearly two decades of conflict this group has had with about 50 countries, it is unrealistic to expect those countries today to engage with them with “full support and goodwill.” He added that despite this background, except for one country, Afghanistan currently maintains active diplomatic representations at the regional level.
Speaking at a religious school, Muttaqi emphasized that if a country chooses not to establish relations with the Taliban administration, that decision is up to that country. He further said that Afghanistan’s foreign relations are expanding and efforts to develop political and economic interactions continue.
However, the Taliban administration has not yet been recognized by any country, and many nations have conditioned normalization of relations on respect for human rights—especially the rights of women and girls to education and work—the formation of an inclusive government, and adherence to international commitments. These issues remain major points of criticism from the international community and a significant portion of Afghan citizens.
In another part of his remarks, the acting Foreign Minister described education as a fundamental factor for the country’s progress and said Afghanistan’s development depends on the simultaneous strengthening of religious and modern sciences. He urged students to stay informed about regional and global developments and prepare for future challenges.
Muttaqi also listed nationwide security, national unity, management of migrant returns, and economic improvement as achievements of the Taliban administration, claiming that currently no opposition group controls any part of the country’s territory. This comes amid ongoing reports of sporadic security incidents and economic concerns in several provinces.
His statements come as the Taliban administration seeks to expand diplomatic and economic relations with regional and global countries while simultaneously emphasizing engagement and cooperation with the international community.
