UNITED NATIONS— The United Nations Security Council has approved a travel ban exemption for Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban’s acting foreign minister, allowing him to visit Oman from March 9 to 14 for bilateral meetings with senior Omani officials, according to a UN statement issued on March 7.
Muttaqi, who has been on the UN sanctions list since 2001 for his role as the Taliban’s former education minister, is among several senior Taliban officials who have traveled abroad in recent weeks as part of a broader diplomatic push.
The Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed his visit, stating that he would discuss political and economic relations with Omani officials.
Muttaqi’s trip follows a series of UN-sanctioned travel exemptions granted to senior Taliban officials, despite restrictions imposed under UN Security Council Resolution 1988 (2011).
Over the past three months, the UN Security Council has approved multiple exemptions, allowing Taliban leaders to visit Uzbekistan, Russia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.
Recent exemptions include:
February 21, 2025: Travel clearance for Abdul Ghani Baradar, Hamidullah Akhundzada, and Gul Agha Ishakzai to visit Uzbekistan for negotiations.
February 14, 2025: Ahmad Zia Agha was allowed to attend the Urals Forum on Cybersecurity in Finance in Russia.
February 7, 2025: Baradar was granted an exemption for medical treatment in Qatar.
January 22, 2025: Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Taliban’s acting interior minister, was permitted to perform Umrah in Saudi Arabia.
January 10, 2025: Noor Mohammad Saqib attended a Hajj Conference in Makkah.
December 26, 2024: Muttaqi previously traveled to Abu Dhabi for regional security talks.
Muttaqi’s Oman visit is part of a wider diplomatic push that has seen at least nine Taliban officials travel abroad in recent weeks.
According to an analysis by Amu TV, four of these officials—Baradar, Hedayatullah Badri, Noor Ahmad Agha, and Muttaqi—remain under UN sanctions.
The UN exemptions have sparked criticism from rights groups, who argue that they legitimize the Taliban’s leadership while the group continues to restrict women’s rights, suppress dissent, and face accusations of human rights violations.
Despite the Taliban’s increased diplomatic activity, the group remains unrecognized by the international community. However, their frequent international visits suggest ongoing efforts to secure political and economic engagement with regional powers.
