Afghanistan

In a recently leaked audio recording, Abbas Stanekzai, the Taliban’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, criticizes the leadership of Hibatullah Akhundzada and warns against blind obedience to him.

Amid rising concerns over the suspension of foreign aid and its impact on Afghanistan’s economic situation, the Taliban administration has declared that the country’s budget is domestically funded and not reliant on foreign assistance.

As U.S. President Donald Trump plans to suspend all financial assistance to the Taliban, the group has called on UNAMA’s head to ensure the continuation of international aid to Afghanistan.

The Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the release of Khan Mohammad, a member of the group who had been serving a life sentence in the United States, as part of lengthy negotiations with Washington. While the Taliban described the exchange, they did not explicitly mention the release of American citizens in return.

Abdul Kabir, the newly appointed acting Minister of Refugees for the Taliban, has stated that he will fully comply with the orders of the Taliban leader, Mullah Haibatullah, regarding his demotion from Deputy Prime Minister for Political Affairs to the Ministry of Refugees.

U.S. President Joe Biden has left the judgment of the Afghanistan withdrawal to history, expressing confidence that it will ultimately be seen as the right decision.

Masoud Pezeshkian, President of Iran, emphasized that stability in Afghanistan is aligned with Iran’s interests during an official visit to Tajikistan. Speaking at a joint press conference with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Pezeshkian stated that, as a neighboring country, Iran sees Afghanistan’s growth and stability as mutually beneficial. He also described border security as a vital priority for the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The Taliban’s Ministry of Justice Claims to Prevent the Usurpation of Over 65,000 Acres of Land. The Taliban’s Ministry of Justice has claimed that it has prevented the usurpation of over 65,000 acres of land.

Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai has welcomed the final declaration of the Rābiṭat al-‘Ālam al-Islāmī Conference and reiterated that girls’ education is an undeniable right. He emphasized that barring access to education is “against national interests and the country’s supreme priorities.”

Washington, United States – Anna Paulina Luna, a member of the US House of Representatives, strongly criticized the cash aid being sent by the United States to Afghanistan under Taliban rule, emphasizing that “Terrorists should not receive a single penny from American taxpayers.”