Gaziz Akbasov, Kazakhstan’s ambassador to Kabul, says his country’s position on recognizing Afghanistan’s Islamic Emirate will be guided by decisions of the United Nations Security Council.

In an exclusive interview with Ariana News, Akbasov said relations between Kazakhstan and the Islamic Emirate are currently based on mutual respect and economic cooperation, adding that Astana is working to further expand ties with Afghanistan.

He said Kazakhstan supports regular high-level dialogue and remains engaged with Afghanistan through its diplomatic missions in Kabul and Mazar-e-Sharif.

The ambassador described Afghanistan’s security situation as relatively stable and stressed that security plays a key role in strengthening bilateral relations and ensuring regional stability, particularly in Central Asia.

Akbassov also said no threats against the interests of regional countries, including Pakistan, have been observed originating from Afghan territory.

“Relations between Afghanistan and Kazakhstan continue without formal recognition of the current government. Our main policy remains within the framework of United Nations Security Council decisions,” he said.

On human rights, the Kazakh envoy said his country follows a policy of non-interference in the internal affairs of other states, including Afghanistan.

Commenting on the international community’s approach toward the Islamic Emirate, Akbassov said sanctions are ineffective and that dialogue and engagement should be prioritized.

He added that expanding economic and trade relations with Afghanistan remains Astana’s priority, noting that political trust already exists between the two sides.

Akbassov further said Afghanistan’s geographic position creates significant opportunities for regional cooperation that could help improve the country’s economy and strengthen regional stability.

According to him, trade volume between Kabul and Astana has reached around $540 million in recent years, with both sides aiming to increase it to $3 billion in the future.

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Economic Deputy Prime Minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in Tehran on Friday to discuss bilateral relations and areas of mutual cooperation.

According to a statement from Baradar’s office, the Afghan official extended condolences to the Iranian government and people over the death of Iran’s former Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, before holding talks on strengthening ties between the two neighboring countries.

Baradar said Afghanistan and Iran share deep historical, cultural, and economic links and have significant common interests in various fields. He also reiterated the Islamic Emirate’s position on the recent US-Israeli attacks on Iran, describing them as illegitimate and stating that the Afghan government had condemned the strikes.

For his part, Pezeshkian highlighted the close and friendly relations between the two nations and said both governments should make full use of existing opportunities for the benefit of their peoples.

The Iranian president described the expansion of relations with Afghanistan as a key priority for his administration and stressed the importance of utilizing all available capacities to deepen bilateral cooperation.

US President Donald Trump has again criticized former President Joe Biden’s handling of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, arguing that Washington should have retained control of Bagram Air Base while pulling troops out.

Speaking in an interview with CNBC, Trump said the US military was rebuilt during his first term and accused the Biden administration of abandoning large amounts of military equipment during the 2021 withdrawal.

“Biden gave so much away in Afghanistan,” Trump said. “We left brand new military vehicles, we left tanks, we left airplanes.”

Trump said he supported ending the US military presence in Afghanistan but argued the withdrawal should have been carried out differently.

“Getting out of Afghanistan was fine, but they should have kept Bagram, the Air Force base. They could have kept it very easily. We would have gotten out with dignity and strength,” he said.

He also claimed that if he had been president, the United States would either have won the war or withdrawn under better conditions.

“I would have won it, or gotten out,” Trump said.

Drawing comparisons with past US military conflicts, Trump said he had no intention of engaging in another prolonged war.

“We were in Vietnam for 19 years. We were in Afghanistan for like ten years. We were in the Korean War forever,” he said. “We were many, many years in every war. I’ve been there [in Iran] for four months. What have I done? I’ve defeated them militarily.”