The spokesman for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) says Kabul is committed to maintaining balanced and constructive relations with all neighboring countries and has actively pursued this policy since returning to power.

Zabihullah Mujahid said the Islamic Emirate’s relations with most countries in the region remain positive, noting that Afghanistan currently enjoys strong ties with Uzbekistan, Iran, China and Turkmenistan.

He added that relations with Tajikistan are also relatively positive and that efforts are underway to further strengthen bilateral cooperation.

Speaking about Pakistan, Mujahid said relations between Kabul and Islamabad were initially positive following the Islamic Emirate’s return to power, but tensions later emerged due to what he described as “Pakistan’s actions and violations.”

He stressed that the Islamic Emirate was not responsible for initiating the tensions and reiterated Kabul’s desire to maintain good relations with all neighboring countries, particularly Pakistan.

According to Mujahid, diplomatic efforts are continuing to reduce tensions and improve bilateral relations between the two sides.

Meanwhile, political analysts say that although the Islamic Emirate has yet to receive broad formal international recognition, regional cooperation with Afghanistan in trade, transit and economic sectors continues to expand steadily.

Nearly five years after the Islamic Emirate returned to power, Russia remains the only country to have officially recognized the government. Kabul, however, maintains that it has fulfilled the conditions necessary for international recognition, while the international community continues to emphasize issues related to counterterrorism and human rights.

Afghanistan’s oil sector is seeing steady expansion, with officials reporting increased extraction activity in the northern Amu Darya basin and expectations of significantly higher output in the near future.

The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum says dozens of wells are currently operational in the Amu Darya region, with additional wells expected to become operational soon. The expansion is projected to raise daily production by several hundred tons compared with current levels.

The ministry’s spokesman Humayoun Afghan said the country holds substantial untapped oil potential, adding that efforts are underway to accelerate development of northern oil fields.

Officials from the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum also confirmed that plans are in progress to build oil storage facilities alongside the expansion of extraction capacity, aimed at strengthening Afghanistan’s broader energy infrastructure.

The ministry further said it is working with private sector partners to develop large-scale oil refineries, part of a broader strategy to increase domestic processing and reduce reliance on imported fuel products.

In the Amu Darya Basin, members of the oil refinery union say investment in the energy sector has risen in recent years, with investors expressing interest in further expanding refining and processing capacity if more opportunities become available.

Economic analysts argue that sustained investment in mining and energy, combined with targeted incentives for investors, could generate tens of thousands of jobs while boosting national revenues.

Private sector representatives add that expanding domestic production, storage, and refining could improve economic stability and reduce the outflow of foreign currency currently spent on fuel imports.

They are urging the Islamic Emirate to accelerate policy measures that facilitate investment and remove barriers to growth in Afghanistan’s oil and energy sector.