KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Mawlawi Gul Hassan Hassan, the Taliban-appointed ambassador to Russia, officially commenced his duties at the Afghanistan Embassy in Moscow on Wednesday, as announced by the group’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Hafiz Zia Ahmad, the ministry’s deputy spokesperson, stated that Hassan started his work following an introductory meeting with the embassy staff.
Ahmad described this development as a “significant step” and expressed hope that it would enhance political, economic, and broader cooperation between Russia and the Taliban-led Afghanistan.
Zamir Kabulov, Russia’s special envoy for Afghanistan, confirmed earlier that the Taliban-appointed ambassador had arrived in Moscow and would assume office after completing the necessary formalities.
While Russia, like other countries, has not formally recognized the Taliban as Afghanistan’s legitimate government, it has gradually expanded its ties with the group. It was among the first to transfer control of the Afghan embassy to Taliban-appointed diplomats and continues to maintain its mission in Kabul.
In a significant step toward further normalization of ties, Russia removed the Taliban from its list of terrorist organizations in April, ending a designation that had been in place for more than two decades. Russian envoy Zamir Kabulov said the move “finally removed all obstacles to full cooperation.”
In recent years, Russia has signed multiple agreements with the Taliban concerning oil, gas extraction, and trade. Additionally, it has invited the group to participate in high-level events, including the Kazan Forum, a major economic summit.
Most recently, Zamir Kabulov announced that Moscow will host the seventh round of the Moscow Format talks on Afghanistan, which will include Taliban participation. Although he did not provide an exact date, he mentioned that the meeting is expected to take place in September or October, as in previous years.
China was the first country to formally accept a Taliban-appointed ambassador and reciprocated by appointing its own ambassador to Kabul. Pakistan has also signaled its readiness to elevate diplomatic relations to the ambassadorial level.
