Turkish Foreign Minister Refuses To Meet Taliban's Amir Khan Muttaqi

Sources have informed Afghanistan International that Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan refused to meet Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban's Foreign Minister.

Muttaqi, who made a stop in Türkiye on his return from Cameroon to Kabul, was reportedly met with a cold and indifferent reception by Turkish officials.

Diplomatic sources confirm that despite keeping its embassy open in Kabul, Türkiye is not keen on expanding relations with the Taliban, describing the interaction as one of "necessity”.

The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not provided any explanation for Hakan Fidan's refusal to meet Amir Khan Muttaqi.

Sources indicated that during his visit to Istanbul, the Taliban’s Foreign Minister only had brief and informal meetings with lower-level officials.

After being excluded from the group photo at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) meeting and having the Taliban flag omitted, Muttaqi visited the Afghan consulate in Istanbul upon his return to Kabul.

Reports suggest that Muttaqi visited a few mosques in Türkiye as a tourist and met with staff at the Afghan consulate in Istanbul.
Three years after the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan, no country, including Türkiye, has officially recognised the group's rule. However, diplomatic missions from both sides remain open and continue to engage with one another.