The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) on Friday welcomed the announcement of Ireland, Spain and Norway that they would recognize a Palestinian state, calling it a “positive step.”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that the development comes while in addition to the “aggression on the historical land of Palestine, the Zionist occupation is trying to bring a demographic change by committing war crimes and genocide.”

The ministry said that it deems the Palestinian land as “the historical and legitimate right of the Palestinian nation, and strongly condemns the ongoing genocide by the Zionist invaders directed at broader regional instability.”

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan “once again calls on the international community, in particular the Islamic states, to take urgent measures to prevent the ongoing disaster in accordance to their responsibility and the right of defense and freedom of the Palestinian nation,” the statement added.

Ireland, Spain and Norway announced on Wednesday that they would recognize a Palestinian state on May 28.

About 144 of the 193 member-states of the United Nations recognise Palestine as a state.

Israeli attacks in Gaza since October 7 last year have left more than 35,000 people dead.

Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid, the acting minister of National Defense, met Thursday with Mohammad bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi, Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in Kabul, the spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense Inayatullah Khwarazmi said in a statement.

Khwarazmi stated that in this meeting, Mujahid expressed his gratitude for Qatar’s humanitarian aid to the recent earthquake and flood victims in the country.

Mujahid also emphasized strengthening relations and continuing cooperation with Qatar, the statement added.

The statement noted that Al-Khulaifi assured all Afghans of the strengthening of friendly relations and the continuation of further cooperation in various fields.

In addition, Sirajuddin Haqqani, the acting Minister of Interior, also met with Al-Khulaifi on Thursday.

The interior ministry said in a statement that Al-Khulaifi said Qatar will stand with Afghanistan and expressed hope of strengthening ties and making further progress in the political, security, and economic sectors.

Haqqani also thanked the government of Qatar for providing emergency assistance to the families affected by recent floods, the statement added.

Qatar’s deputy foreign minister Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi met with Afghanistan’s deputy prime minister for economic affairs Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar on Thursday and urged the IEA to attend the upcoming Doha meeting.

During this meeting, which took place in Kabul, political, economic and commercial relations were discussed between the two sides.

Baradar thanked Qatar for its cooperation with Afghanistan in various fields and said that these relations should be expanded and strengthened. 

He also said currently there are numerous investment opportunities in Afghanistan and Qatari investors are welcome to invest.

According to Baradar, the Islamic Emirate has provided necessary facilities to foreign investors and fully supports them.

Al-Khulaifi in turn said Qatar will encourage investors to invest in Afghanistan and for this purpose, Qatari investors will visit Kabul in the near future.

Al-Khalifi added that they are working closely with Qatar Airlines to start flights to Afghanistan and to strengthen commercial relations between the two countries.

Khalifi meanwhile asked the Islamic Emirate to attend the upcoming meeting of special envoys for Afghanistan in Doha. He said Qatar would like the IEA to attend the meeting so that definite conclusions can be reached.

He added that without the presence of the IEA, such meetings are fruitless. He said he had clarified his position to the United Nations in this regard.

Baradar meanwhile said that the Islamic Emirate wants broad political-economic relations with all countries.

He emphasized that without IEA representation at meetings, no results can be reached and therefore, it is necessary to respect the position of the Islamic Emirate in such gatherings.

This comes after Baradar and foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi met with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sherpur Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani in Tehran in Iran.