Taliban Plans To Expel Iranian Diplomat From Afghanistan

Reliable sources have told Afghanistan International that Ali Mojani, a diplomat and advisor to the special representative of Iran for Afghanistan, is on the verge of being expelled.

According to these sources, Taliban officials have stated that this Iranian diplomat is an "undesirable element" and has "overstepped his boundaries”.

Sources said that the Taliban have given Mojani, who holds a diplomatic passport, a few hours to leave the country.

The sources indicated that the Taliban are expelling this Iranian diplomat in response to the recent expulsion of one of their diplomats from Mashhad and his undiplomatic actions.

Ali Mojani Barred from Eidgah Mosque in Kandahar

Ali Mojani recently stated that Taliban members did not allow him to perform Eid al-Adha prayers led by Mullah Hibatullah, the Taliban leader, at Eidgah mosque in Kandahar.

Mojani mentioned that he had previously sent an official letter to the Taliban's Ministry of Foreign Affairs to participate in the Eid prayers, but the Ministry did not adhere to diplomatic protocols and did not respond to his official request.

This Iranian diplomat wrote on X social media platform that after an hour and a half of waiting, the Taliban did not allow him to enter the mosque.

Ali Mojani posted on his X account that Taliban members told him that the office of Hibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban leader, did not grant him permission to enter Eidgah.

Torture of Iranian Photographer and Taliban Diplomat Expulsion

On December 16, 2023, Salim, a Taliban diplomat, beat up and tortured an Iranian photographer at the Afghan consulate in Mashhad. Following this incident, the Iranian government expelled this Taliban diplomat.

Salim, was serving as the first secretary at the Afghan consulate in Mashhad.

Kazemi Qomi, Iran's special representative for Afghanistan, recently confirmed that this Taliban diplomat was expelled for beating an Iranian female photographer.

Qomi stated that the offender was "severely dealt with, such that it was decided he must leave, and this action was carried out”.