UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed has called on the international community to continue supporting Afghan women and girls, saying they must not be abandoned as restrictions on their rights persist.

In a message marking the fifth anniversary of the Islamic Emirate’s return to power, Mohammed said Afghan women and girls continue to bear the burden of restrictions while their hopes and aspirations for the future remain on hold.

“Afghan women must not be left behind,” she said, stressing the importance of supporting their efforts to build a better future.

The Islamic Emirate, however, maintains that women’s rights are protected within the framework of Islamic Sharia.

Its spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, has said the government remains committed to ensuring women’s rights in accordance with Sharia and that there is no cause for concern.

Afghan analysts and activists say disagreements between Kabul and the international community over women’s and girls’ rights remain a major obstacle to improving Afghanistan’s relations with the outside world.

The comments come as the United Nations and other international organizations continue to cite restrictions on women and girls as a major challenge facing Afghanistan, while urging countries to maintain support for programs benefiting Afghan women and girls.

Islamic Emirate leader Sheikh Hibatullah Akhundzada says he will not accept what he described as “un-Islamic” demands, stressing his commitment to what he called the religious and divine rights of the Afghan people.

According to a statement from the Kandahar Information and Culture Directorate, the supreme leader made the remarks on Saturday evening during a gathering at Kandahar’s military airfield.

He again called for unity and obedience, urging Afghans not to be influenced by what he described as “malicious propaganda” by the country’s enemies.

A number of senior civilian and military officials from Kandahar also attended the gathering.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has described neighboring countries, including Afghanistan, as a major economic opportunity for Iran as the country continues to face international sanctions.

Speaking at a meeting with tourism and handicrafts investors in Razavi Khorasan province, Araghchi said neighboring states represent Iran’s “greatest opportunity” for expanding foreign policy and economic cooperation.

He highlighted the potential for health tourism between Iran and Afghanistan, saying the Foreign Ministry faces no obstacle to issuing visas to Afghan nationals and is ready to facilitate the process for genuine applicants, particularly those seeking medical treatment.

Araghchi said dedicated systems and procedures should be developed for health tourism to make it easier for eligible Afghan visitors to enter Iran, adding that the Foreign Ministry is prepared to cooperate with relevant authorities.

He also called for greater powers for provincial governments to address economic and cross-border issues, saying Iran’s president supports strengthening local decision-making to resolve problems more quickly.

Referring to Iran’s experience with “provincial diplomacy,” Araghchi said many issues with neighboring countries, particularly those involving border regions, could be addressed more efficiently through local authorities.

He cited the Iran-Afghanistan border as an example, saying a problem between Razavi Khorasan and Afghanistan could potentially be resolved more quickly through officials on both sides rather than being referred to Tehran and Kabul for negotiations.