The U.S. House of Representatives has passed new legislation aimed at increasing oversight and restricting financial aid to Afghanistan, specifically to prevent the Islamic Emirate government from gaining access to U.S. taxpayer-funded assistance.

The bill, co-sponsored by Representative Tim Burchett, outlines three core objectives: blocking the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) from accessing financial and material support, increasing transparency around cash assistance programs, and closely monitoring the Afghanistan Trust Fund (ATF) and the Central Bank of Afghanistan.

“This bill is about protecting American resources and ensuring they do not fall into the hands of those who undermine international norms,” Burchett said during floor debate.

The House Foreign Affairs Committee praised the bill as a necessary corrective, referencing reports that millions in aid may have entered Afghanistan with insufficient oversight following the U.S. military withdrawal.

Under the new law, the State Department is required to establish mechanisms to prevent humanitarian aid from being misused and to provide detailed, recurring updates to Congress on these measures.

The Islamic Emirate rejected the bill, calling it interference in Afghanistan’s internal affairs. Spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the Ministry of Economy administers humanitarian aid with fairness and independence, and accused the U.S. of politicizing relief efforts.

Abdul Latif Nazari, Deputy Minister of Economy, characterized the legislation as part of a broader pressure campaign.

He insisted that Afghanistan’s economy could endure without U.S. assistance, pointing to ongoing efforts toward economic self-sufficiency. Even if the aid stops, our economy will rely on domestic sources, he said.

However, independent analysts warn that any sharp reduction in international aid could significantly undermine humanitarian operations in a country still grappling with high poverty, food insecurity, and economic instability. Several NGOs and aid agencies reliant on U.S. funding have already scaled back operations.

The legislation also signals a more assertive policy shift under President Donald Trump, whose administration has prioritized a security-first, results-driven approach to engagement with Afghanistan.

With declining foreign support and strained diplomatic relations, Afghanistan’s economic future—and its ability to maintain basic services—now faces a period of deep uncertainty.

The Economic Commission of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, convened on Sunday at the Marble Palace to review and approve the country’s new Economic Policy.

The newly endorsed policy aims to lay the foundation for a developed and prosperous Afghanistan grounded in Islamic economic principles.

It sets out strategic goals including the creation of an attractive investment climate, promotion of domestic production and exports, job creation, poverty reduction, and fostering sustainable economic growth and stability.

During the session, members highlighted that the policy is designed to improve coordination of economic activities, ensure efficient utilization of national resources, and strengthen the role of the private sector in economic development.

In line with this vision, the Ministry of Finance was instructed to allocate the necessary budget for the expansion of the electricity network to 13 villages in Pul-e-Khumri, Baghlan province, in the fiscal year 1404. The project will be implemented by Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS).

The Commission also approved two significant commercial development projects. In Balkh province, a private sector investment of 740 million Afghanis will fund the construction of an eight-story commercial market comprising 878 shops on land owned by the Ministry of Hajj and Religious Affairs.

Meanwhile, in Sar-e-Pul province, a standard commercial market will be established with an investment of 96 million Afghanis.

Commercial ships are sailing close to Oman and are being advised by maritime agencies to avoid Iran’s waters around the Strait of Hormuz, with the risk of the conflict between Israel and Iran escalating, shipping sources said on Wednesday.

Iran has in the past threatened to close the critical Strait of Hormuz to traffic in retaliation for Western pressure. Any closure of the strait could restrict trade and affect global oil prices.

In the latest measure, ships sailing towards Hormuz are looking to minimise risks and are sailing close to Oman’s coast for much of the journey.

The Gulf of Oman is 200 miles (320 km) wide – much of it international waters – and is bordered by Oman and Iran, as well as the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan, which have territorial waters of 12 miles.

Journeys will still need to be made through Hormuz itself, which is 21 miles (33 km) wide at its narrowest point. The two shipping lanes are just 2 miles (3 km) wide in either direction.

A larger cluster of ships was sailing closer to the Omani coast on Wednesday, while mainly Iranian-flagged vessels were sailing within Iranian waters, according to ship-tracking data on the MarineTraffic platform.

“Taking into account that during the past, there have been incidents of violations of freedom of navigation and maritime safety for merchant vessels near the shores of Iran, we strongly suggest that Greek-flagged vessels sail, if possible, away from waters of Iranian jurisdiction when in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman,” the Greek Shipping Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a statement read by a television presenter on Wednesday that his country will not accept U.S. President Donald Trump’s call for an unconditional surrender, in his first comments since Israel began bombarding Iran on Friday. Iran has responded with deadly barrages across Israel.

Electronic interference with commercial ship navigation systems has surged in recent days around the Strait of Hormuz and the wider Gulf, adding to risks for sailors hauling oil cargoes.

Average earnings for the supertankers that carry a maximum of 2 million barrels of oil have surged in recent days to over $50,000 a day from over $20,000 a week ago, according to analysts.

“The regional threat level remains significant as strikes continue from both Iran and Israel,” the multinational, U.S.-led Combined Maritime Forces JMIC Information Center said in an advisory, adding that the maritime threat level is elevated.

QatarEnergy has instructed tankers to remain outside the Strait of Hormuz and to enter the Gulf only the day before loading, amid military strikes between nearby Iran and Israel, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday.