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Putin: Building ties with Islamic Emirate is necessary
Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that it is necessary to build relations with the Islamic Emirate due to their control over Afghanistan.
Putin told journalists on Tuesday, during a state visit to Tashkent, relations need to be built “accordingly”.
“These people (IEA) control the country and its territory and are the current rulers of Afghanistan,” he said.
Without elaborating on issues, he did however say that “everyone is aware of” current problems in the country.
“How to establish relations with the Taliban (IEA) is another question, but we must somehow [maintain] relations with them,” he added.
Referring to regional partners, including Central Asia countries, on establishing relations with the IEA, Putin said: “We take into account the opinions of each of our partners and friends and will coordinate on this issue.”
Putin’s remarks come a day after Zamir Kabulov, Russia’s special envoy for Afghanistan, put forward a proposal to remove the IEA from Moscow’s terrorist list.
Speaking to TASS news agency, Kabulov said: “This must be done. Without this, it will be premature to talk about recognition. Therefore, work on this issue continues. All considerations have been reported to the top leadership of Russia. We are waiting for a decision.”
According to him, the Islamic Emirate government has come a long way towards being recognized since it came to power in Afghanistan in August 2021.
“But there are still a few hurdles to overcome, after which the Russian leadership will make a decision,” Kabulov pointed out.
Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has welcomed Putin’s remarks and those of other Russian officials.
The Islamic Emirate says that Afghanistan has a sovereign government and system and seeks interaction and good relations with all countries in the region and the world.
In reaction, John Kirby, the National Security Communications Advisor of the White House, said on Tuesday that Russia’s investigation into the removal of the IEA from the list of terrorist groups and the possible recognition could send a “terrible message” to other countries.
In response to a question whether this Russian action will have a message for America’s competitors, including China and Iran, Kirby said: “We think that [this action] will have a terrible message.”
Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, warned during a graduation ceremony for soldiers of the Ministry of National Defense that the Islamic Emirate will respond decisively to anyone with ill intentions toward Afghanistan.
He said the country is “not an easy target, but a bitter tree that has made the throats of empires bitter and newborns can never digest.”
Baradar also announced that in the coming days, the Islamic Emirate will introduce tax exemptions of one to five years for domestic and foreign investors, based on the level of investment in new sectors. He also said that the process of distribution of land to manufacturers will be accelerated.
Baradar called on countries to engage in political and economic relations according to the values and principles of the Islamic Emirate, emphasizing that energy and resources spent on conflict would be better used to support one another and strengthen common interests.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), in its latest report on the human rights situation in Afghanistan, stated that 14 members of the former Afghan government forces were killed in the last three months of 2025.
The report noted that during this period, there were 28 cases of arbitrary arrest and detention, and at least seven cases of torture and ill-treatment targeting officials and personnel of the former Afghan government.
According to the report, some of the officials and forces who had recently returned to Afghanistan from Iran and Pakistan were among those subjected to extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, and detentions.
The report also highlighted restrictions on women’s work and movement, executions and flogging of individuals, and disruptions to internet and telecommunications services.
An eight-member delegation from Afghanistan, led by Haseebullah Ahmadi, chief of staff deputy interior minister for counter-narcotics, has departed for Jakarta, Indonesia.
The delegation includes officials from the Interior Ministry’s counter-narcotics deputyship as well as representatives from the Ministry of Public Health.
The visit comes at the official invitation of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Kabul and is supported financially by Japan.
During their stay, the delegation will participate in a meeting focused on enhancing international cooperation in combating narcotics and improving treatment programs for individuals struggling with addiction.
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