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US State Dept reiterates Istanbul was not meant to replace Doha talks

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The US State Department’s spokesman Ned Price said on Tuesday night that the Istanbul Conference was never meant to replace the Doha talks but rather it was part of a broader diplomatic effort to secure a political settlement.

Addressing a press conference, Price said the Doha talks “is an effort that continues to be ongoing and it’s an effort where we will continue to invest our resources, our political heft, knowing again that only through diplomacy, only through a political settlement, an Afghan-owned, Afghan-led process, will we be able to help support bringing peace, stability, and security to the people of Afghanistan.”

Soon after Price’s press conference, word spread that the Istanbul Conference had been postponed.This was confirmed on Wednesday morning by the three co-hosts, United Nations, Turkey and Qatar, in a statement.

“In view of recent developments, and after extensive consultations with the parties, it has been agreed to postpone the conference to a later date when conditions for making meaningful progress would be more favorable,” the statement read.

Price meanwhile again pointed out that the Biden administration is in no doubt that there is no military solution to the situation in Afghanistan.

He said: “The conference in Istanbul is part of that broader effort, that broader diplomatic engagement. We are grateful to the hosts – Turkey, Qatar, and the UN – for convening it. I would need to refer to them when it comes to the current status of that timing of it or timing of it going forward.”

The postponement comes after the Taliban’s announcement last week that they would not attend any peace conference until all foreign troops had withdrawn from the country.

Their announcement followed closely on the heels of US President Joe Biden and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s announcement that all foreign troops would be out of Afghanistan by September 11.

The Taliban said however this was in contravention of the US-Taliban agreement signed in Doha last year which stipulated foreign troops need to leave by May 1.

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Haqqani visits four Afghan provinces, meets local officials and residents

During his visit to Paktia, Haqqani met with tribal elders in Gardez-e-Sher district and attended a condolence gathering for a deceased family member.

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Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani has visited Ghazni, Paktika, Paktia and Maidan Wardak provinces, meeting with local officials, religious scholars, tribal elders, security members and residents to discuss security, governance and community concerns.

According to a statement released by the ministry, Haqqani listened to residents’ concerns, reviewed the activities of local authorities and discussed administrative and security challenges during his visits.

In Ghazni, Haqqani attended a graduation ceremony at Noor-ul-Madaris Madrasa in Shilgar district, where more than 400 students received graduation certificates from various departments.

He also visited an elementary school in Behbud village of Gilan district, where he reviewed the learning environment and discussed plans for constructing a school building and providing assistance to students.

During another visit, he inspected the Shaheed Muslim Orphanage in Janda area and received information about the children’s education and welfare.

In Paktika, Haqqani met with local residents, tribal elders and security members in Khairkot district, emphasizing reconstruction and national development.

He said the period of war and bloodshed had ended and that Afghanistan should now focus on rebuilding and progress. He also described reconstruction as a shared responsibility between the government and the public.

At the Paktika provincial governor’s office, Haqqani met civilian and security officials to discuss the province’s overall situation, administrative affairs, security challenges and public service needs.

He also met separately with people with disabilities, listened to their concerns and assured them of cooperation and support.

During his visit to Paktia, Haqqani met with tribal elders in Gardez-e-Sher district and attended a condolence gathering for a deceased family member.

His final stop was Maidan Wardak province, where he visited the Tang-e Valley and attended another condolence gathering before returning to Kabul.

The four-province tour focused on engagement with local communities, reviewing provincial affairs and discussing reconstruction, governance and public concerns.

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Afghan and Iranian officials discuss expanding economic cooperation

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Ahmad Jan Bilal, General Director of State-Owned Corporations, met on Tuesday with Iran’s Ambassador to Kabul, Ali Reza Bikdeli, to discuss expanding bilateral economic cooperation and following up on issues raised during his recent visit to Iran.

According to a statement from the General Directorate of State-Owned Companies, the meeting focused on reviewing ways to implement discussions held with Iranian officials during Bilal’s visit.

Bikdeli described the visit as positive and productive, stressing the importance of following up on the issues discussed and taking practical steps to advance bilateral cooperation.

He said Iran is ready to cooperate with Afghanistan in oil and gas exploration, extraction and exports, refinery construction, agriculture, water and electricity.

Bilal, for his part, said the Islamic Emirate is interested in expanding joint cooperation with Iran in energy, agriculture, industrial development and other economic sectors. He added that his office would work with the Iranian side to turn the proposed areas of cooperation into practical initiatives.

Bilal also reaffirmed his office’s commitment to following up on the issues discussed during his recent visit to Iran and working towards their implementation in coordination with Iranian officials.

Bilal recently visited Iran at the head of a delegation, holding talks with several Iranian officials on expanding economic, trade and investment ties, particularly in the state-owned companies sector.

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Ariana Airlines reduces Kabul–Islamabad–Kabul airfares by $20

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Ariana Afghan Airlines announced on Tuesday a reduction in ticket prices for flights on the Kabul–Islamabad–Kabul route from $190 to $170.

According to the airline, passengers can now purchase tickets for this route at $20 less than the previous fare.

The airline has also set a special fare of $150 for students travelling on this route.

Ariana Afghan Airlines said the move aims to reduce travel costs and make air travel more affordable and accessible for passengers and students.

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