The Taliban Supreme Court said on Tuesday that their judicial delegation led by Abdul Malik Haqqani has called on senior officials from Iran’s Interior Ministry to address the abduction of Afghan nationals by criminal groups in Iran and to take steps to prevent such incidents.
In a statement, the court said the delegation requested Iranian authorities to transfer several individuals accused of kidnapping Afghan nationals back to Afghanistan for prosecution.
The Taliban delegation also urged Iranian officials to extend residency permits for Afghan nationals with proper identification documents and to streamline the process to facilitate their stay in Iran.
In addition to addressing kidnappings, the discussions covered several other key issues, including combating human trafficking and drug smuggling, and improving border management between the two countries.
The Taliban said the delegation pressed Iran to lift restrictions on bank accounts belonging to Afghan citizens and to waive taxes that have been levied on them in recent years.
Reports of Afghan nationals being abducted in Iran have sparked alarm, with kidnappers reportedly demanding ransom payments from victims’ families.
The meeting comes amid heightened tensions between the two countries over Iran’s treatment of Afghan refugees. Since the Taliban’s return to power, Iran has intensified the deportation, detention, and expulsion of undocumented Afghan migrants. Iranian officials have reiterated that migrants without proper documentation will not be allowed to remain in the country.
Iran hosts one of the largest populations of Afghan refugees, many of whom fled instability and conflict over the past decades. However, the relationship between the two nations has been marked by challenges, particularly since the Taliban’s takeover in 2021.
