KABUL, AFGHANISTAN — The Taliban-controlled Afghan Embassy in Uzbekistan has officially welcomed its new ambassador, Abdul Ghafar Bahr, who began his duties following a formal ceremony on September 23.
This move comes months after Uzbekistan handed over Afghanistan’s embassy to the Taliban in February. At that time, Maghfurullah Shahab, the son of Shahabuddin Delawar, head of the Taliban’s Red Crescent Society, was appointed as the embassy’s chargé d’affaires after initially serving as first secretary.
Uzbekistan’s decision to transfer diplomatic responsibilities to Taliban representatives aligns with similar actions by other Central Asian nations, with Tajikistan being the notable exception.
Since the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, no country has officially recognized them as the legitimate government. However, many neighboring and regional countries have either maintained their embassies or reopened diplomatic missions in Afghanistan.
Russia, China, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Iran, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Turkey, and India are among the nations that have maintained or reinstated a diplomatic presence in Afghanistan. A few of these countries have also handed over the Afghan embassy to the Taliban.
The rest of the world, including the UN, has repeatedly emphasized that the normalization of relations with the Taliban regime depends on their commitment to upholding human rights, combating terrorism, and establishing an inclusive government in the country.
The regime claims that it manages 39 embassies, consulates, and diplomatic missions worldwide, either directly or through diplomats appointed by them.
