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ATRA: Internet and call charges dropped significantly

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Afghanistan Telecom Regulatory Authority (ATRA) said on Tuesday that for the first time, a ceiling has been set on the charges of internet and phone calls across the country, and there has been a 40-50% reduction in costs.

ATRA spokesman said that previously 1GB data cost 250 afghanis, but now the price has been set at 110 afghanis.

“The rate of calls from one network to another is set at 2.2 Afghani per minute. Previously, calls were charged every sixty seconds, but now it has been reduced to 30 seconds. For example, if we call someone and talk for five or six seconds, it used to count as sixty seconds, but now it counts as 30 seconds.

“There has been a significant reduction in the price of the internet. The price of one GB of internet for telecommunication companies is set at 110 Afghanis and they cannot offer more than this,” said Jalal Shams, ATRA’s spokesman.

The authority said that telecommunication coverage has increased compared to the past and telecommunication services have been expanded in remote areas. Officials said that ATRA earned 1.2 billion Afghanis in the solar year 1401.

“The plan that ATRA is currently working on is quality improvement. The most important one is standard frequency. A standard frequency is given for telecommunication networks. Work on the distribution mechanism is ongoing. Currently, the frequency that telecommunication networks use for 4G is not the 4G frequency. They use 3G frequency for 4G, the reason why there is a problem with the quality,” Shams said.

Citizens also call on the government and telecommunications companies to improve the quality of services in addition to reducing the rates of internet services and telephone calls.

“We are satisfied with the government for reducing internet packages. But the demand of Afghan people from internet service providers is that the quality should be improved, because the quality is very low,” said Musawir Darwesh, a Kabul resident.

“Alhamdulillah, we are satisfied with the internet, but we don’t have the internet as we should have,” said Reshad Insan Dost, a Kabul resident.

There are currently five telecommunication companies operating in the country, and the Afghan Wireless Communication Company (AWCC) has the largest coverage in the country.

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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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