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White House says frozen assets will ‘remain inaccessible’
White House spokesperson Jen Psaki said Monday that Afghanistan’s frozen assets, being held mostly by the United States, will “remain inaccessible” to the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA).
Psaki’s comments came on the heels of Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi’s appeal on Sunday for the US and western countries to release upward of $10 billion in funds that were frozen when the IEA took power on August 15.
Muttaqi told the Associated Press in an interview that sanctions against Afghanistan would “not have any benefit.”
White House spokesperson Jen Psaki meanwhile told reporters on Monday that there are a number of reasons why Afghanistan’s reserves remain inaccessible.
She said the issue is very complicated, and that the White House is “continually reviewing [the situation], thoughtfully, and in coordination with allies and partners.”
“But these are some important reasons. First and foremost, the status of the funds is the subject of ongoing litigation, brought by certain victims of 9/11 and other terrorist attacks to hold judgments against the Taliban (IEA). These legal proceedings cannot be disregarded and have led to the temporary suspension of any movement of the funds through at least the end of the year and quite possibly longer,” she said.
Second, Psaki went to say that the United States, so far, is uncertain how the reserve funds could be available to directly benefit the people of Afghanistan “while ensuring that the funds do not benefit the Taliban (IEA).”
Thirdly, she said the IEA remains sanctioned by the United States, and a number of Afghan officials “are subject to the UN- — UNSCR’s 1988 sanctions regime. This raiges [sic] — raises immediate red flags for many states’ central banks and the financial community more generally when considering any transactions.”
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has announced that it will continue providing its essential health services to the people of Afghanistan.
In a post on X, the organization, referring to Afghanistan’s health needs, said that over the past year it has been active in various health sectors across the country, ranging from maternal and child care to emergency response, as well as the treatment of patients suffering from tuberculosis and severe injuries.
According to MSF, its teams over the past year have been present at a range of health facilities, including neonatal intensive care units, operating theatres, surgical centers, and specialized tuberculosis treatment wards, where they have delivered life-saving services to patients.
The organization stressed that it will continue ensuring the provision of health services, particularly for needy families and vulnerable communities in remote areas of Afghanistan.
The Embassy of Afghanistan in Japan, currently run by diplomats of the previous government, has announced that it will suspend its operations in Tokyo after the end of January 2026.
In a statement issued on Friday, the embassy said the decision was made after consultations with Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in close coordination with Japanese authorities, and in accordance with the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
The embassy added that after January 31, all of its political, economic, cultural, and consular activities will be halted until further notice.
Currently, Shaida Abdali is serving as Afghanistan’s ambassador to Japan.
Sadin Ayyıldız, Chargé d’Affaires of the Turkish Embassy in Kabul, held a courtesy meeting with Zakir Jalali, the Second Political Deputy of Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the occasion of the start of his mission.
The Turkish Embassy in Kabul said in a post that the meeting included mutual exchanges of views on bilateral relations.
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