Muttaqi says no foreign military base will be allowed in Afghanistan
Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi told his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov that the Taliban will not permit any foreign country to establish a military base in Afghanistan, including the former US airbase at Bagram, Russia’s state news agency TASS reported Tuesday.
In a meeting on the sidelines of the 7th Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan in Moscow, Muttaqi said Afghanistan’s territory would not host any military presence from other countries “under any circumstances.”
Zamir Kabulov, Russia’s special presidential envoy for Afghanistan, confirmed the statement, saying: “The Afghan foreign minister made it clear that the government of Afghanistan will not accept any foreign military base on its territory, and this includes the Bagram base.”
Kabulov added that Russia has no plans to establish a military base in Afghanistan, emphasizing that Moscow supports Afghanistan’s sovereignty and regional stability.
Muttaqi’s remarks come amid renewed international debate about Afghanistan’s military future. President Trump has repeatedly called for Washington to “take back” the Bagram airbase, vacated in 2021 during the US withdrawal, saying it holds strategic value due to its proximity to China.
At the Moscow Format meeting, Lavrov also reiterated Russia’s opposition to any foreign military presence in Afghanistan or neighboring countries, saying it would be “completely unacceptable” and could lead to “destabilization and new conflicts.”
The Moscow Format, launched in 2017, brings together Russia, China, Iran, India, Pakistan, and Central Asian states to discuss Afghanistan’s political, security, and humanitarian situation. This year’s session marked the first time the Taliban’s acting foreign minister attended as an official participant.
Taliban have consistently rejected the idea of foreign military installations in Afghanistan, calling them a violation of national sovereignty. Since returning to power in 2021, they have sought closer ties with regional powers — including Russia, China, and Iran — while remaining isolated from most of the international community.