Iranian Diplomat Describes Relations With Taliban As Most Complex Diplomatic Task

Rasoul Mousavi, an aide to Iran's Foreign Ministry, described managing relations with Taliban as "the most difficult and complex type of political management in diplomatic relations".

He expressed this after meeting with Abdul Kabir, the Taliban's deputy prime minister.

Mousavi highlighted the presence of numerous "internal and external challenging factors" in both Iran and Afghanistan.

Despite these complexities, Mousavi emphasised in a post on the social media platform X that both the Taliban and the Islamic Republic of Iran view their relationship as having "strategic importance" at the "highest levels."

The Iranian diplomat pointed out various challenging factors that could have a "destructive impact" on the relations between Iran and the Taliban.

Although the Islamic Republic, like other nations, does not officially recognise the Taliban government, it continues to maintain close ties with the group.

The meeting between the Taliban's deputy prime minister and the Iranian Foreign Ministry aide took place on the sidelines of the inauguration ceremony for Iran's new president, Masoud Pezeshkian.

On Thursday, Abdul Kabir travelled from Iran to Qatar to attend the funeral of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas's political bureau, who was assassinated in Tehran.