RASC News Agency: Zalmai Rassoul, the former Afghan government’s ambassador to the United Kingdom who continues to serve in his position, has stated that the recent decision by the Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs will not impact the embassy’s operations, as their primary role is to provide documentation services to the 250,000 Afghanistanis residing in the UK. He emphasized that the embassy continues to function as before.
On July 30, the Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that consular services provided by embassies not under its control would no longer be recognized. In his latest interview with “The Sunday Times”, Zalmai Rassoul remarked, “I am stuck here; in truth, I want to be free, but who should I hand over the embassy to?” The 81-year-old ambassador, who has also served as Afghanistan’s National Security Advisor and Foreign Minister, stated that while he still participates in some meetings, many countries, including India and Turkey, have removed him from their official lists.
He noted that countries engaging with the Taliban no longer invite our embassy to their meetings. Zalmai Rassoul clarified that, alongside six local staff members, only four diplomats, working with minimal salaries, continue to assist him. Regarding the host country’s stance on the embassy’s future, Rassoul mentioned that the new government in London has assured him they would not ask him to leave, allowing him to remain in his position. However, he has yet to meet with anyone from Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s administration.
This situation unfolds against the backdrop of no country in the world officially recognizing the Taliban government, although the group claims to have diplomatic representatives in 38 countries worldwide. China remains the only country whose president has officially accepted the credentials of a Taliban-appointed ambassador.
