Politics

At Tehran Forum, Muttaqi says Taliban are pursuing ‘balanced’ foreign policy

TEHRAN — Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban’s acting foreign minister, said Sunday that the Taliban are pursuing what he called a “balanced” foreign policy — a shift, he argued, that benefits both the region and the broader international community.

Speaking at the Iran Dialogue Forum in Tehran, Muttaqi said Afghanistan had lacked such a policy for more than four decades, during which time it aligned with one power at the expense of relationships with others — a pattern he blamed for regional tensions and instability.

“When we adopted a balanced policy, it served everyone — neighbors, regional states and countries beyond the region,” Muttaqi said. “Naturally, this encourages others to establish good relations with us.”

He added that in the past, Afghan governments had alienated some countries to gain the favor of others — a strategy he described as short-sighted and damaging. “Countries that pursued such imbalanced policies gained little in return,” he said.

Muttaqi claimed that the Taliban’s experience over the past four years showed their ability to maintain this approach, saying nations across the region were “increasingly engaging” with the Taliban government.

He emphasized that while Taliban seek to expand diplomatic ties, its priorities lie in economic cooperation and shared interests. “We want Afghanistan to no longer become hostile to one country in order to befriend another,” he said.

Muttaqi’s remarks come as the Taliban face continued international isolation. Since returning to power in August 2021, Taliban have imposed sweeping restrictions on women and girls, barring them from secondary and university education, limiting their ability to work, and curbing freedoms of movement and expression.

The international community has repeatedly urged the Taliban to uphold basic human rights — particularly those of women — as a precondition for any formal diplomatic recognition. To date, no country has officially recognized the Taliban rule.

Still, the Taliban have sought to expand its diplomatic presence in the region, building relationships with countries such as China, Russia, Iran and several Central Asian nations.