Ebrahim Raisi, a hardline judge under U.S. sanctions for human rights abuses, secured a landslide victory on Saturday in Iran‘s presidential election after a contest marked by voter apathy over economic hardships and political restrictions. With some 90% of the 28.6 million ballots counted, Raisi’s tally was 17.8 million, interior ministry official Jamal Orfi said, giving him an unassailable lead. […]

Turkey should withdraw its troops from Afghanistan under the 2020 deal for the pullout of U.S. forces, a Taliban spokesman said on Thursday, effectively rejecting Ankara’s proposal to guard and run Kabul’s airport after U.S.-led NATO forces depart. The development raises serious questions for the United States, other countries and international organizations with missions in Kabul about how to securely […]

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif met with UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy on Afghanistan Jean Arnault and Martin Griffiths, the UN special envoy for Yemen. Zarif and Arnault discussed the developments in Afghanistan. During the meeting, Zarif explained the views of the Islamic Republic of Iran on Afghanistan, especially peace and security in the country as well as the peace […]

Iran has long claimed to support political stabilization in neighboring Afghanistan while at the same time expanding its ties with the Taliban, a contradictory policy that’s likely to breed more chaos and violence as the Sept. 11 deadline for U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan draws closer, experts say. This policy of simultaneously supporting the Afghan government and the Taliban—what the […]

The Taliban has agreed to begin substantive talks with the Republic team in Doha in the coming days, according to sources close to the group, which would end the peace process stalemate. The sources said that the group plans to attend the Istanbul summit, but wants the end negotiations to take place in Doha. The negotiating teams met in Doha […]

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif condemned Saturday’s bombing close to a girls school in Kabul city and called on all Afghans to end the violence. Shortly after the explosions, the Taliban issued a statement denying responsibility for the attack. No group has yet claimed responsibility but Zarif pointed a finger at Daesh (ISIS). According to Iran’s Fars news, Zarif […]

While heavy clashes are ongoing in various parts of the country, reports indicate that the Taliban is advancing on key cities in Baghlan and Ghazni provinces. According to reports a number of soldiers have been killed in clashes with the Taliban in Ghazni and Baghlan provinces while an unknown number have surrendered to the Taliban. Baghlan Officials reported that Shahr-e […]

Meeting scheduled from April 24 – May 4 to be held after Ramadan, says foreign minister Turkey announced Tuesday that it is postponing a much-anticipated Afghan peace conference in Istanbul until the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. “We thought that it would be beneficial to postpone it …We consulted Qatar, the US and the UN and decided […]

The Afghan government on Tuesday said that the list of delegates to represent the republic in Istanbul has been finalized. A high-level Afghan government official who spoke on condition of anonymity told TOLOnews that there is the possibility that a 15- or 17-member team will represent the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan at the conference scheduled for April 24. Meanwhile, the […]

Iran’s Foreign Minister Javad Zarif on Friday said that there is a need for the Taliban “to change in democratic ways” as today’s Afghanistan is different than it was in 2001. Addressing the Raisina Dialogue’s online conference, Zarif said: “The Taliban has to change based on democratic ways. If they want to go back to their 90s ideology, it will […]