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Abdullah blasts Ghani for sacking interior minister

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Abdullah Abdullah, the High Council for National Reconciliation chair, on Saturday voiced his dissatisfaction over President Ashraf Ghani’s move Friday to dismiss Interior Minister Masoud Andarabi.

Abdullah stated the move was in violation of the power-sharing agreement he signed with Ghani in May last year – a deal that signaled the end of a months-long stalemate that plunged the country into a political crisis following disputed elections.

On Saturday, Abdullah said in a statement that “decisions about Afghanistan interior minister, Mohammad Massoud Andarabi’s removal and introducing new caretakers without consultation and justifiable reasons, is in violation of the political agreement that both sides signed.”

“The decision in the current circumstances is against national interests of the country and is not acceptable,” read the statement.

The National Security Council announced the move in a statement on Friday and said Ghani had appointed former Kandahar Governor Hayatullah Hayat as acting interior minister.

In addition, Ghani has appointed Chief of Army Staff General Yasin Zia as acting defense minister until the return of Defense Minister Assadullah Khalid, who is undergoing treatment for an illness.

The NSC said on Friday the changes in the two ministries are in line with Ghani’s efforts to bring reforms to security organizations, improve the general security situation in the country and accelerate a self-reliance plan.

The NSC did not give further details on Andarabi’s dismissal but sources have said it comes after his failure to arrest militia commander Abdul Ghani Alipour whose forces shot down an Afghan military helicopter in central Wardak province on Thursday killing nine security force members.

According to the source, a senior government official, Ghani had ordered Andarabi to arrest Alipour weeks ago for reportedly having attacked security forces.

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UN confirms small number of Iranians seeking refuge in Afghanistan

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The United Nations has confirmed that a small number of Iranians, including dual Iranian-Afghan nationals, have crossed into Afghanistan following the outbreak of conflict between Iran and Israel.

According to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), around 30 families with dual citizenship have entered Afghanistan, and a limited number of Iranian asylum seekers were registered on Sunday, June 22.

UNHCR Representative in Afghanistan, Arafat Jamal, stated that the agency is closely monitoring developments at border crossings and is fully prepared to support any Iranians fleeing the violence.

He also highlighted the broader regional displacement crisis, noting that since 2023, an estimated 3.5 million Afghan migrants have returned from Iran and Pakistan—many under duress.

Jamal emphasized the need for all returns to be conducted with dignity and called on the international community to invest in Afghanistan’s long-term peace and development.

“We are at the borders – in Milak and Islam Qala. We are monitoring the situation and indeed we are ready to receive Iranians if they choose to come. At the moment, we have not observed large numbers,” Jamal said.

“We have seen about 30 families that have dual nationality – Iranian and Afghan nationality. And I believe that yesterday we may have received just some small numbers of pure Iranian cases, but it is not big numbers at the moment,” he added.

UNHCR is working alongside Afghan government institutions and humanitarian partners to strengthen returnee reintegration programs. Jamal further urged neighboring countries to continue hosting Afghan refugees in a humane and respectful manner, while reaffirming UNHCR’s commitment to supporting those displaced by the ongoing conflict.

 

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Iran’s Supreme Leader cuts off all electronic communications amid assassination fears

It also notes that communications with senior military officials are now being conducted exclusively via one close aide.

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Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has reportedly severed all electronic communications and retreated to an underground bunker amid fears of an assassination, according to a report by The New York Times.

The report, citing intelligence sources and Iranian insiders, claims that Khamenei, 86, is now directing the country through a trusted intermediary while avoiding any traceable digital contact.

The move comes as Israeli airstrikes on Iran continue into their second week, heightening concerns within Tehran’s leadership about regime destabilization.

“Ali Khamenei… has cut all electronic channels out of concern for his safety,” the report states, adding that the Supreme Leader is preparing for “worst-case scenarios,” including a potential coup.

It also notes that communications with senior military officials are now being conducted exclusively via one close aide.

In a striking revelation, the Times reports that Khamenei has made contingency plans to flee to Russia if the regime’s stability collapses. The Iranian leader has also reportedly formalized decisions regarding both military command succession and his own potential successor, identifying three senior clerics as candidates should he die during the crisis.

There has been no official response from Iranian authorities regarding the report, which comes at a time of extreme internal and external pressure on the Islamic Republic following U.S. and Israeli strikes on key nuclear sites.

The situation remains fluid, and analysts suggest these developments point to the most severe leadership security measures seen in Iran since the 1980s.

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Muttaqi: Turkey holds a special place in the foreign policy of IEA

During the meeting, the two sides discussed bilateral relations between Afghanistan and Turkey, as well as key regional issues of mutual concern.

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On the sidelines of the 51st Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Istanbul, Amir Khan Muttaqi, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, met with Hakan Fidan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed bilateral relations between Afghanistan and Turkey, as well as key regional issues of mutual concern.

At the outset, Muttaqi emphasized the deep historical and cultural ties between the two nations and described Turkey as having a special and strategic role in the foreign policy of the Islamic Emirate.

He called for expanded bilateral cooperation alongside the growing level of engagement between Kabul and Ankara.

For his part, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan reaffirmed the importance of Afghanistan for Turkey and stressed the need to further strengthen cooperation across various sectors.

The meeting was held in a spirit of mutual understanding, with both parties underscoring the importance of continued dialogue and constructive collaboration in pursuit of shared interests.

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