The Taliban government now controls 39 Afghan embassies and consulates around the world, nearly three years after taking power in Afghanistan, according to a statement from the acting foreign ministry on Thursday.
Although no country has formally recognized the Taliban regime, both China and the United Arab Emirates have officially accepted Taliban-appointed ambassadors in their respective capitals.
Many Western countries, including the United States, have made it clear that formal recognition of the Taliban remains contingent on changes regarding women’s rights. They demand that the Taliban reopen educational institutions for girls and women, and ensure their freedom of movement.
The Taliban claims it upholds human rights based on its interpretation of Islamic law, and that economic challenges are exacerbated by international restrictions and the lack of recognition.
Since the fall of Afghanistan’s republic government in 2021, foreign embassies have been in disarray. Some documents issued during that period, such as passports and visas, have been deemed invalid by the Taliban.
The group has replaced several former diplomats with its own appointees, including ambassadors stationed in Beijing and Abu Dhabi, as well as a charge d’affaires in Pakistan. In certain locations, diplomats from the previous government continue to operate alongside Taliban officials.
At a press conference in Kabul, Taliban acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said, “Thirty-nine embassies and diplomatic missions now report to the central authority, which is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”
Muttaqi also revealed that dozens of Taliban diplomats have been dispatched to 11 countries, including Turkey, Iran, Russia, and Pakistan, over the past year.
He further announced that a new ambassador would be sent to Uzbekistan soon and that Russia might soon remove the Taliban from its terrorist organization list.
In July, the Taliban severed ties with at least 14 Afghan diplomatic missions, mostly in Europe, declaring that documents issued by those embassies would no longer be recognized.
