The Taliban’s foreign ministry spokesman has declared the sign of the former Afghan General Consulate in Mashhad, Iran, invalid. Abdul Qahar Balkhi stated that Abdul Jabar Ansar, who previously held the position, has been dismissed on charges of corruption.
Balkhi emphasized that the authority to appoint diplomats and make changes at the diplomatic level lies solely with the sending country, in accordance with the Vienna Convention. He accused Ansar of “collecting incomes and engaging in irresponsible interference in consulate affairs.”
The statement from the Taliban’s foreign ministry noted that Ansar’s dismissal was legal and that he had been summoned to Kabul. Balkhi added that a diplomat aligned with the Taliban would now oversee the consulate’s operations.
This development comes in the wake of criticism from Iran’s official news agency, IRNA, which described the Taliban’s move to replace the diplomat as arrogant interference within Iranian territory. The changes at the Afghan consulate in Mashhad have elicited reactions from Iran’s diplomatic system.
