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Arab News
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Russia's recognition of Taliban rule marks start of geopolitical shift, experts say
KABUL: Russia's formal recognition of the Taliban government as the legitimate authority in Afghanistan could mark the beginning of a major geopolitical shift in the region, experts said on Friday. Russia became the first country on Thursday to officially recognize the Taliban rule, nearly four years since the group took control of Afghanistan. Moscow's ambassador to Afghanistan, Dmitry Zhirnov, had 'officially conveyed his government's decision to recognize the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan' during a meeting in Kabul with the country's foreign minister, Amir Khan Mutaqqi, according to a statement issued late on Thursday by the Afghan Foreign Ministry. This was followed by the Russian Foreign Ministry announcing hours later that it had accepted the credentials of a new ambassador of Afghanistan, saying that 'official recognition of the government of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan will give impetus to the development of productive bilateral cooperation between our countries in various fields.' Muttaqi welcomed the decision and said in a statement that it would 'set a good example for other countries.' No other nation has formally recognized the Taliban government after it seized power in 2021, after US-led forces staged a chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan following 20 years of war. However, a handful of countries, including China and the United Arab Emirates have designated ambassadors to Kabul, while a number of foreign governments have continued the work of their diplomatic missions in the Afghan capital. 'Russia's decision to recognize the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is a huge step. It's one of the biggest achievements of the Islamic Emirate's foreign policy in the last more than four years. It can be the beginning of a major geopolitical shift in the region and globally,' Naseer Ahmad Nawidy, political science professor at Salam University in Kabul, told Arab News. 'The United States' one-sided position to support Israel in the war against Gaza and attack Iran compelled Iran and Russia to take independent steps, ignoring the US in their decisions. It's a new phase toward moving to a multipolar world.' With Moscow's role as a key political player in Central Asia, its recognition of the Taliban will likely influence other countries in the region to follow suit, he added. Russian President Vladimir Putin has steadily built ties with the Taliban government, despite it being widely shunned by the international community due to repeated human rights violations. The rights of Afghan women in particular have been curtailed since the Taliban takeover. They are barred from secondary schools and higher education, restricted in public places and not allowed to take up most of the jobs available in the country. 'I consider this recognition as a deep stab in the back as an Afghan woman and for Afghan women who have been deprived of life, education, work, freedom,' Afghan women's rights advocate Riha Ghafoorzai told Arab News. Under the Taliban, Afghan society has been turned 'into a political prison, with no free press, no political opposition, and no civil rights,' she said. 'Recognizing such a rule is an insult to the sacrifices of thousands of Afghans who have fought for a modern, free, and democratic Afghanistan.' With the recognition, Russia effectively broke an international consensus that was aimed at forcing the Taliban to listen to public demands, implement reforms and establish a legitimate system. But instead, Moscow is sending 'a message to the Taliban that there is no need for reform, the international community will soften and the regime will eventually be legitimized, even if it is against the nation,' Ghafoorzai added. 'Russia's recognition of the Taliban is a profound political message that will have far-reaching and long-term consequences for the geopolitical balance of the region, international norms, and the fate of the Afghan people,' she said. 'Recognizing extremism is a great political betrayal of democracy. I hope that the international community will closely examine this situation for the future of humanity.'
Al Jazeera
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Russia recognises the Taliban: Which other countries may follow?
Russia has become the first country to accept the Taliban government in Afghanistan since the group took power in 2021, building on years of quieter engagement and marking a dramatic about-turn from the deep hostilities that marked their ties during the group's first stint in power. Since the Taliban stormed Kabul in August four years ago, taking over from the government of then-President Ashraf Ghani, several nations – including some that have historically viewed the group as enemies – have reached out to them. Yet until Thursday, no one has formally recognised the Taliban. So what exactly did Russia do, and will Moscow's move pave the way for others to also start full-fledged diplomatic relations with the Taliban? What did Russia say? The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement saying that Moscow's recognition of the Taliban government will pave the way for bilateral cooperation with Afghanistan. 'We believe that the act of official recognition of the government of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan will give impetus to the development of productive bilateral cooperation between our countries in various fields,' the statement said. The Foreign Ministry said it would seek cooperation in energy, transport, agriculture and infrastructure. How did the Taliban respond? Afghanistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs wrote in an X post on Thursday that Russian ambassador to Kabul Dmitry Zhirnov met Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and conveyed the Kremlin's decision to recognise the Taliban government in Afghanistan. The Ambassador of the Russian Federation, Mr. Dmitry Zhirnov, called on IEA-Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi. During the meeting, the Ambassador of Russian Federation officially conveyed his government's decision to recognize the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, — Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Afghanistan (@MoFA_Afg) July 3, 2025 Muttaqi said in a video posted on X: 'We value this courageous step taken by Russia, and, God willing, it will serve as an example for others as well.' What is the history between Russia and Afghanistan? In 1979, troops from the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan to establish a communist government. This triggered a 10-year war with the Afghan mujahideen fighters backed by US forces. About 15,000 Soviet soldiers died in this war. In 1992, after rockets launched by rebel groups hit the Russian embassy in Kabul, Moscow closed its diplomatic mission to Afghanistan. The Russian-backed former president, Mohammad Najibullah, who had been seeking refuge in a United Nations compound in Kabul since 1992, was killed by the Taliban in 1996, when the group first came to power. During the late 1990s, Russia backed anti-Taliban forces in Afghanistan, including the Northern Alliance led by former mujahideen commander Ahmad Shah Massoud. Then, on September 11, 2001, suicide attackers, affiliated with the armed group al-Qaeda, seized United States passenger planes and crashed into two skyscrapers in New York City, killing nearly 3,000 people. This triggered the so-called 'war on terror' by then-US President George W Bush. In the aftermath of the attack, Russian President Vladimir Putin was one of the first foreign leaders to call Bush and express his sympathy and pledge support. Putin provided the US with assistance to attack Afghanistan. Russia cooperated with the US by sharing intelligence, opening Russian airspace for US flights and collaborating with Russia's Central Asian allies to establish bases and provide airspace access to flights from the US. In 2003, after the Taliban had been ousted from power by the US-led coalition, Russia designated the group as a terrorist movement. But in recent years, as Russia has increasingly grown concerned about the rise of the ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K) group – a regional branch of the ISIS/ISIL armed group – it has warmed to the Taliban. The Taliban view ISIS-K as a rival and enemy. Since the Taliban's return to power in 2021, accompanied by the withdrawal of US forces supporting the Ghani government, Russia's relations with the group have become more open. A Taliban delegation attended Russia's flagship economic forum in Saint Petersburg in 2022 and 2024. With the ISIS-K's threat growing (the group claimed a March 2024 attack at a concert hall in Moscow in which gunmen killed 149 people), Russia has grown only closer to the Taliban. In July 2024, Russian President Putin called the Taliban 'allies in the fight against terrorism'. Muttaqi met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow in October 2024. In April 2025, Russia lifted the 'terrorist' designation from the Taliban. Lavrov said at the time that 'the new authorities in Kabul are a reality,' adding Moscow should adopt a 'pragmatic, not ideologised policy' towards the Taliban. How has the rest of the world engaged with the Taliban? The international community does not officially recognise the Taliban. The United Nations refers to the administration as the 'Taliban de facto authorities'. Despite not officially recognising the Taliban as the government of Afghanistan, several countries have recently engaged diplomatically with the group. China: Even before the US pulled out of Afghanistan, Beijing was building its relations with the Taliban, hosting its leaders in 2019 for peace negotiations. But relations have picked up further since the group returned to power, including through major investments. In 2023, a subsidiary of the state-owned China National Petroleum Company (CNPC) signed a 25-year contract with the Taliban to extract oil from the basin of the Amu Darya river, which spans Central Asian countries and Afghanistan. This marked the first major foreign investment since the Taliban's takeover. In 2024, Beijing recognised former Taliban spokesperson Bilal Karim as an official envoy to China during an official ceremony, though it made clear that it was not recognising the Taliban government itself. And in May this year, China hosted the foreign ministers of Pakistan and the Taliban for a trilateral conclave. Pakistan: Once the Taliban's chief international supporter, Pakistan's relations with the group have frayed significantly since 2021. Islamabad now accuses the Taliban government of allowing armed groups sheltering on Afghan soil, in particular the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), to target Pakistan. TTP, also called the Pakistani Taliban, operates on the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan, and is responsible for many of the deadliest attacks in Pakistan in recent years. Afghanistan denies Pakistan's allegation. In December 2024, the Pakistani military launched air strikes in Afghanistan's Paktia province, which borders Pakistan's tribal district of South Waziristan. While Pakistan said it had targeted sites where TTP fighters had sought refuge, the Taliban government said that 46 civilians in Afghanistan were killed in the air strikes. This year, Pakistan also ramped up the deportation of Afghan refugees, further stressing ties. Early this year, Pakistan said it wants three million Afghans to leave the country. Tensions over armed fighters from Afghanistan in Pakistan continue. On Friday, the Pakistani military said it killed 30 fighters who tried to cross the border from Afghanistan. The Pakistani military said all the fighters killed belonged to the TTP or its affiliates. Still, Pakistan has tried to manage its complex relationship with Afghanistan. In April this year, Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met Muttaqi and other Afghan officials in Kabul. Dar and Muttaqi spoke again in May. India: New Delhi had shut its Kabul embassy in 1996 after the Taliban took over. India refused to recognise the group, which it viewed as a proxy of Pakistan's intelligence agencies. New Delhi reopened its embassy in Kabul after the Taliban was removed from power in 2001. But the embassy and India's consulates came under repeated attacks in the subsequent years from the Taliban and its allies, including the Haqqani group. Yet since the Taliban's return to Kabul, and amid mounting tensions between Pakistan and the group, India's approach has changed. It reopened its embassy, shut temporarily in 2021, and sent diplomats to meet Taliban officials. Then, in January 2025, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri flew to Dubai for a meeting with Muttaqi. And in May, India's Foreign Minister S Jaishankar spoke to Muttaqi over the phone, their first publicly acknowledged conversation. Iran: As with Russia and India, Iran viewed the Taliban with antagonism during the group's rule in the late 1990s. In 1998, Taliban fighters killed Iranian diplomats in Mazar-i-Sharif, further damaging relations. But it views ISIS-K as a much bigger threat. Since the Taliban's return to Kabul, and behind closed doors, even earlier, Tehran has been engaging with the group. On May 17, Muttaqi visited Iran to attend the Tehran Dialogue Forum. He also met with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and President Massoud Pezeshkian. After Russia, will others recognise the Taliban? While each country will likely decide when and if to formally recognise the Taliban government, many already work with the group in a capacity that amounts, almost, to recognition. 'Afghanistan's neighbouring countries don't necessarily have much of an option but to engage with the Taliban for both strategic and security purposes,' Kabir Taneja, a deputy director at the New Delhi-based Observer Research Foundation, told Al Jazeera. 'Most would not be doing so out of choice, but enforced realities that the Taliban will be in Afghanistan for some time to come at least.' Taneja said that other countries which could follow suit after Russia's recognition of the Taliban include some countries in Central Asia, as well as China. 'Russia's recognition of the Taliban is a geopolitical play,' Taneja said. 'It solidifies Moscow's position in Kabul, but more importantly, gives the Taliban itself a big win. For the Taliban, international recognition has been a core aim for their outreach regionally and beyond.'
Telegraph
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Russia becomes first country to recognise Taliban regime
Russia has become the first country to recognise the Taliban as the official government of Afghanistan. The Afghan flag outside the embassy in Moscow has been replaced with one for the hard-line organisation. The move is a major diplomatic boost to the group after it seized power nearly four years ago following the withdrawal of US and Nato forces. It signals a significant diplomatic shift for Moscow away from the international stance of non-recognition of the regime because of its extreme human rights record. In a statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry said: 'We believe that the act of official recognition of the government of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan will give impetus to the development of productive bilateral cooperation between our countries in various fields.' The announcement followed a meeting between Andrei Rudenko, the Kremlin's deputy foreign minister, and Gul Hassan Hassan, the Taliban's envoy to Russia. The group's flag was then promptly hoisted at Afghanistan's embassy compound. Dmitry Zhirnov, the Russian ambassador to Kabul, described the decision as historic, while Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban's foreign minister, said it would set an example for others. Anas Haqqani, a powerful figure within the group, said: 'The politics of pressure and distance has proven fruitless. Only dialogue and engagement can resolve matters and bring proximity.' The display, which was condemned by Afghan political and civil society groups for fuelling extremism, has been seen as part of Moscow's attempt to expand its influence in the region after the US withdrawal. Shukria Barakzai, a former Afghan parliament member, said she was shocked and disappointed by Russia's decision to legitimise the Taliban regime. She told The Telegraph: 'Russia, being a [United Nations Security Council] member, recognising a terrorist group is shocking. I am really disappointed. I don't understand what changed in the Taliban's policies and ideology that Moscow had to recognise them. 'In the process to cut the influence of the West in the region, Moscow's action will fuel extremism,' she said, adding that she does not expect better from countries such as Russia, who also have a poor human rights record. The Taliban's policies have plunged Afghanistan into an economic and humanitarian crisis, with millions living in poverty and having limited access to food. Women have been locked out of education and economy. The US has frozen billions in Afghanistan's central bank assets, resulting in the country's banking sector being largely cut off from the global financial system. The international community has repeatedly stated that recognition of the Taliban regime depends on respect for women's rights, the formation of an inclusive government and ensuring that Afghanistan is not used as a base for terrorism. The UK has not proscribed the Taliban as a terrorist group and Hibatullah Akhundzada, the supreme leader, is not subject to sanctions. However, it does not recognise the group as a legitimate government. The former Soviet Union fought a nine-year war in Afghanistan that ended in Moscow withdrawing its troops in 1989 following their defeat by the mujahideen, some of whom later founded the modern Taliban. Russia, which described the US withdrawal as a 'failure', has taken steps to increase its engagement with Taliban authorities since, seeing the group as a potential economic partner and ally in fighting terrorism. It is one of the few countries that did not close its Afghan embassy after the fall of Kabul in August 2021. In April, it also removed the Taliban from its list of banned groups after 22 years. Zamir Kabulov, Russia's special envoy to Afghanistan, called the Taliban an 'objective partner' in the fight against terrorism earlier this week at a UN-sponsored meeting in Doha, stressing that the Kremlin must arm them to help eliminate the ISIS threats. During the group's first rule in the 1990s, only three countries – Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates – recognised the regime.
CNA
9 hours ago
- Business
- CNA
Russia becomes first country to recognise Taliban government
KABUL: Afghanistan's government said on Thursday (Jul 3) that Russia had become the first country to officially recognise its rule, calling it a "brave decision". The Taliban swept back to power in 2021 after ousting the foreign-backed government and have imposed an austere version of Islamic law. They have keenly sought official international recognition and investment, as the country recovers from four decades of war, including the Soviet invasion from 1979 to 1989. The announcement was made after Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi met with Russia's ambassador to Afghanistan, Dmitry Zhirnov, in Kabul on Thursday. "This brave decision will be an example for others ... Now that the process of recognition has started, Russia was ahead of everyone," Muttaqi said in a video of the meeting on X. "Russia is the first country which has officially recognised the Islamic Emirate," Taliban foreign ministry spokesman Zia Ahmad Takal told AFP, using the government's name for their administration. Muttaqi said it was "a new phase of positive relations, mutual respect, and constructive engagement", the foreign ministry posted on X. Russia's foreign ministry added on Telegram: "We believe that the act of official recognition of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan will boost the development of productive bilateral cooperation between our countries in several areas." It highlighted potential "commercial and economic" cooperation in "energy, transportation, agriculture and infrastructure". The ministry said that Moscow hoped to continue helping Kabul "reinforce regional security and fight against the threats of terrorism and drug-trafficking". Moscow has taken recent steps to normalise relations with the Taliban authorities, removing them from a list of "terrorist organisations" in April and accepting a Taliban ambassador in Kabul. In July 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin called the Taliban "allies in the fight against terrorism". Russia was the first country to open a business representative office in Kabul after the Taliban takeover, and has announced plans to use Afghanistan as a transit hub for gas heading to Southeast Asia. "ALLIES" Only Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates recognised the Taliban during their first stint in power from 1996 to 2001. This time, multiple other states, including China and Pakistan, have accepted Taliban ambassadors in their capitals, but have not officially recognised the Islamic Emirate since the end of the then-insurgency's two-decade war with US-led NATO troops. There has been limited but growing engagement with the Taliban authorities, particularly from regional neighbours, but also major global players China and Russia. China on Friday said it welcomed Russia's decision. "As a traditional friendly neighbour of Afghanistan, the Chinese side has always believed that Afghanistan should not be excluded from the international community," foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said. However, restrictions on women and girls, barring them from education and squeezing them from public life, have been key sticking points for Western nations. Multiple Afghan women activists were quick to condemn Russia's recognition. The move "legitimises a regime that bans girls from education, enforces public floggings, and shelters UN-sanctioned terrorists", said Mariam Solaimankhil, former member of Afghanistan's parliament. "The move signals that strategic interests will always outweigh human rights and international law." Senior Taliban figures remain under international sanctions, including by the United Nations.
Times of Oman
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Times of Oman
Russia first country to recognize Taliban rule
Kabul: Afghanistan's Taliban government said on Thursday Russia had become the first nation to recognise its rule. The announcement came after Aghanistan's Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi met the Russian ambassador to Afghanistan, Dmitry Zhirnov, in Kabul on Thursday. "This brave decision will be an example for others... Now that the process of recognition has started, Russia was ahead of everyone," Muttaqi said in a video posted on X. "We believe that the act of official recognition of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan will boost the development of productive bilateral cooperation between our countries in several areas," Russia's foreign ministry shared on the Telegram app. The Russian Foreign Ministry also said it would help Kabul tackle terrorism and drug-trafficking, while also boosting economic cooperation. "The move signals that strategic interests will always outweigh human rights and international law," said Mariam Solaimankhil, a former member of Afghanistan's parliament and critic of the Taliban. Afghanistan has seen decades of instability, including a 20-year war conducted by the US and other forces. This ended when the US withdrew its troops in 2021. The Taliban grabbed back power in 2021 after ousting the government and have since then imposed strict Islamic law. Moscow had earlier removed the Taliban from their list of terrorist organizations, and accepted an ambassador from their government. Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2024 referred to the Taliban as "allies in the fight against terrorism." They previously ruled the country during 1996-2001, when they were only recognized by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirate and Pakistan. During this stint, some states such as China and Pakistan have accepted Taliban ambassadors without officially recognising the Islamic Emirate, as the country is officially known. The Taliban government has clamped down on civil liberties of Afghans, especially on women and girls for which they have received international condemnation.
