Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), said the group seeks positive and balanced relations with all countries, including the United States, while insisting that no foreign financial aid has been provided directly to the Emirate or the Afghan government.

In an exclusive interview with Payam Afghan TV, Mujahid responded to recent U.S. Senate legislation aimed at restricting aid to Afghanistan, stating that Washington has not sent any assistance directly to the Islamic Emirate. He said humanitarian aid to Afghanistan has been suspended or provided solely on humanitarian grounds.

Mujahid added that past international assistance was channeled through domestic institutions and human rights organizations and remained under the control of those entities, with no direct involvement from the Islamic Emirate.

“The policy of the Islamic Emirate is based on self-reliance. Afghans must resolve their internal challenges themselves,” Mujahid said.

He emphasized that the Emirate’s focus is on attracting investment and promoting economic development while safeguarding national sovereignty and preventing foreign political interference. Mujahid cited engagement with China, Russia, and neighboring countries as examples of this approach.

He concluded that the Islamic Emirate is open to cooperation with European and American investors, aiming to turn Afghanistan into a regional and global economic hub, provided its sovereignty and internal affairs are fully respected.

The U.S. Senate has advanced legislation aimed at preventing American taxpayer funds from reaching the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), marking a new step in Washington’s efforts to restrict financial support to groups it designates as terrorist organizations.

The No Tax Dollars for Terrorists Act, approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, now moves to the full Senate for consideration. The bill seeks to bar U.S. funds from directly or indirectly benefiting the IEA and establishes official U.S. policy opposing financial or material support to the group by foreign governments or non-governmental organizations.

Committee Chairman Senator Jim Risch cited the human cost of the Afghanistan war, noting that more than 2,000 U.S. service members were killed and over 20,000 injured during the conflict. He described any transfer of U.S. funds to the IEA as “a betrayal of the victims of the war,” calling the legislation a common-sense measure to ensure taxpayer dollars are not diverted to militant groups.

The bill was introduced in January 2025 by Senator Tim Sheehy, with co-sponsorship from Senators Bill Hagerty, Tommy Tuberville, and Steve Daines. It also directs the State Department to develop strategies to counter foreign assistance that could benefit the IEA.

In response, Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate, said the United States has not provided funds directly to the Emirate. He added that international assistance entering Afghanistan is intended exclusively for humanitarian purposes.

Supporters of the legislation say it reinforces U.S. efforts to cut off financial resources to militant groups while allowing humanitarian aid to continue through international organizations operating in Afghanistan.

Sweeping U.S. foreign aid cuts have sharply worsened Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis, with women and girls suffering the most severe consequences, according to a new report by Refugees International.

The organization says the 2025 decision to shut down USAID operations and halt most U.S. foreign assistance has dismantled critical services in Afghanistan, deepening what it describes as the Islamic Emirate’s system of “gender apartheid.”

Refugees International reports that the cuts eliminated 88 percent of maternal and child health funding, 94 percent of sexual and reproductive health programs, and nearly 80 percent of gender-based violence services.

As a result, more than 420 health facilities have closed or suspended operations since early 2025, leaving around three million people without access to basic healthcare.

The shutdown of clinics and protection services has increased maternal and infant health risks and left survivors of violence without safe spaces or support. The report says families are increasingly resorting to harmful coping strategies, including early and forced marriage and reduced food consumption for women and girls.

Food insecurity has also worsened following the halt of U.S. funding to the World Food Programme. Monthly food assistance has dropped from 5.6 million people in late 2024 to about one million, while an estimated 17 million Afghans now face hunger.

Education opportunities for girls have narrowed further after USAID-supported informal education programs were suspended, cutting off one of the last learning options for girls barred from formal schooling.

Refugees International warns that 21.9 million people in Afghanistan will require humanitarian assistance in 2026, more than half of them women and girls, yet the U.S. has so far committed no funding this year.

The organization is urging Washington to restore life-saving, gender-responsive aid before the crisis deepens further.

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has not yet commented on this report.