The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has described the recent U.S. decision to designate Afghanistan as a “state sponsor of wrongful detention” as regrettable, emphasizing that disputes should be addressed through dialogue.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Abdul Qahar Balkhi, spokesperson for the ministry, said that citizens of no country are detained in Afghanistan for bargaining purposes. Instead, some individuals have been arrested on charges of violating the law, many of whom have later been released after completing legal procedures.

The ministry also noted that over the past year the Islamic Emirate has taken several positive steps regarding certain American citizens as a gesture of goodwill.

The statement further highlighted Qatar’s role in facilitating dialogue between Afghanistan and the United States, stressing the importance of continued engagement and resolving issues through diplomatic channels.

Reports claiming that Qatar has asked the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) to close its political office in Doha have been denied.

According to Doha News, sources at the Afghan embassy in Qatar said the claims are false and that no such request has been made by the Qatari government.

The sources emphasized that no decision regarding the closure of the office has been communicated to the Afghan side.

The IEA’s political office in Doha was established in 2013 to facilitate negotiations related to the conflict in Afghanistan.

The office later became a key venue for talks between the IEA and the United States, which ultimately resulted in the signing of the Doha Agreement in 2020.

The office has since remained an important diplomatic channel for discussions involving Afghanistan and the international community.

Adam Boehler, the U.S. President’s Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs, has warned that Afghanistan could face consequences similar to those faced by Iran or Venezuela if American citizens detained in the country are not released.

The warning comes after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio designated Afghanistan as a “state sponsor of wrongful detention” on Monday — a step that could lead to restrictions on the use of U.S. passports for travel to Afghanistan.

In a statement, Rubio called on Kabul to release all American citizens believed to be detained in the country, including Mahmood Habibi and Dennis Coyle.

Rubio accused the IEA of continuing to use what he described as “terrorist tactics,” including detaining individuals to extract ransom payments or political concessions. “These despicable tactics need to end,” he said.

According to a report by Reuters citing two informed sources, the United States is also seeking the return of the remains of writer Paul Overby, who was last seen in 2014 near the Durand Line.

The report said that if Afghanistan does not respond to Washington’s demands, the United States could restrict the use of American passports for travel to Afghanistan. Such restrictions are currently applied only to North Korea.

The move comes after the United States also designated Iran as a “state sponsor of wrongful detention” on February 26.

Rubio warned the U.S. could restrict travel to Iran over its detention of U.S. citizens, but has not imposed any restrictions. The U.S. and Israel launched a war against Iran ⁠the day after the determination was announced.

The Islamic Emirate has previously denied detaining Mahmood Habibi, the former head of Afghanistan’s Civil Aviation Authority.

It has released some U.S. prisoners following negotiations.