The Taliban has appointed seven new diplomats to Afghanistan’s embassy in Tehran, which it took over on Sunday. The group’s appointed Chargé d’Affaires, Fazal Mohammad Haqqani, officially assumes control of the embassy’s affairs in Iran today.
In a video message on Twitter on Monday, Hafiz Zia Ahmad, the Taliban’s deputy foreign ministry spokesperson, announced that “seven experienced diplomats” from Kabul were dispatched to the embassy in Tehran to avoid any disruptions in its services.
The diplomats and staff appointed by the previous government, whose fates are unknown, left the embassy on Sunday. They had confirmed to the media that Iran had agreed to hand over the embassy’s affairs to the Taliban.
Whilst Taliban figures and supporters celebrated the embassy handover, Taliban critics and opposition groups voiced anger at Iran’s apparent deal with the Afghan rulers.
| Taliban forms companies in Russia, Iran and Pakistan to attract investment
| Khalilzad: Iran has made a deal with al-Qaida to target opponents
| Former Afghan spy chief warns Iran of the consequences of close ties with the Taliban
The anti-Taliban armed group, the National Resistance Front (NRF), expressed “regret” at the Iranian government’s decision. In a statement, the NRF said:
“This action was taken despite the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan and other political movements of the country striving to encourage the relevant officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran through interac- tions and correspondence at high levels conveying its adverse consequences. Nonetheless, based on their policy, they allowed the representatives of the illegitimate and the terrorist group of Taliban to enter the diplomatic mission of Afghanistan.”
Fawzia Kofi, a former lawmaker, said in a tweet that Iran’s decision’s was unjustifiable.
“Historic and cultural bound between two nation will not change with flag change. We value the struggle of Iranians and stand with them. Ou people wont forgive those who don’t stand in our bad days.” Kofi said.
In response to it, Iran’s foreign ministry denied Iran’s involvement in the new changes in Afghanistan’s embassy.
The Iranian foreign ministry said in a statement that changes at the Afghan embassy were “are internal issues of Afghanistan.”
