KABUL — Taliban mining minister Hidayatullah Badri traveled to Iran on Monday to attend an international conference on mineral resources, according to a statement by the Taliban-run Ministry of Mines and Petroleum.
Badri, who is subject to United Nations Security Council sanctions, is leading a delegation to participate in the Second International Conference of Mineral Experts and Researchers, being held in Iran this week. The ministry said the trip will also include meetings with representatives and investors from various companies.
The visit comes amid questions over the legality of the travel, as Badri has not been granted a U.N. travel exemption for Iran. The U.N. Security Council recently approved a travel exemption allowing him to attend the Kazan Forum in Russia from May 12 to May 19, 2025, but no such permission has been issued for travel to Tehran.
Badri’s trip coincides with the Tehran Dialogue Forum, a separate diplomatic gathering hosted by Iran and attended by representatives from 53 countries, including Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban’s acting foreign minister.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh previously described Muttaqi’s participation as “significant,” and said the situation in Afghanistan would be a key topic of the forum, which is scheduled to conclude Monday.
Iran has in recent months hosted both Taliban officials and opposition figures, positioning itself as a potential mediator in Afghanistan’s future political landscape. However, the presence of sanctioned Taliban officials on Iranian soil may further complicate Tehran’s international standing, particularly with regard to U.N. obligations.
The Taliban rule, which remains unrecognized by any country, has continued efforts to expand regional engagement, particularly around Afghanistan’s mining sector — seen as one of the country’s few remaining economic lifelines.
