Iranian Foreign Minister: Cooperation with Taliban continues, but no official recognition yet

KABUL: Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s Foreign Minister, has stated that there is still a distance before formal recognition of the Taliban, but Iran maintains close cooperation with the current government in Afghanistan. In an interview with the media, he noted that the security of Iran’s borders has improved over the past four years. He mentioned that the Taliban has been able to establish relative security in Afghanistan, saying, “I won’t say it’s 100%, but the situation is good.” Regarding the situation of Shia communities in Afghanistan, he acknowledged that their security has been ensured, but their rights have not been respected in recent years. Araghchi also commented on water resources, stating that the situation has improved but has not yet reached the desired level. He concluded that there are still challenges with the Taliban; while progress has been made in some areas, problems remain in others, and some situations are in a state of limbo. According to him, the level of cooperation between Iran and Afghanistan is currently acceptable.