Analysts offered mixed reactions after the United States raised tariffs on goods exported from the country, with some calling the move politically motivated and others warning it will hurt already fragile trade.
The new 15% tariff, announced by President Donald Trump as part of a broader global trade measure, is 5 percentage points higher than the rate imposed earlier this year. Exports to the United States — mostly carpets, dried fruit and medicinal plants — are expected to be affected.
Economic analyst Sayed Masoud said the increase amounted to a political penalty linked to the Taliban’s closer ties with Russia, China and Iran. “This additional five percent is a type of pressure on Afghanistan,” he said. “It is a punishment for getting closer to China, Russia and Iran.”
Political commentator Najib Rahman Shamal noted that the Taliban have not responded publicly to the US decision. He said Afghanistan’s overall trade with the United States has already shrunk sharply since the Taliban takeover, falling from $10–15 million annually to less than $2 million.
Business leaders warned the tariffs will further slow exports. “The increase in tariffs on Afghan exports has negative impacts,” said Khanjan Alokozay, a board member of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment. “Even the small volume of exports we had will be reduced, and we will face more difficulties.”
Official data from the Taliban-run National Statistics and Information Authority shows Afghanistan exported $1.7 billion worth of goods in 2024, down nearly $100 million from the previous year. Exports have been declining for the past three years, and the country’s trade deficit has widened.
