RASC News Agency: Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, the Deputy Minister for Political Affairs at the Taliban’s Foreign Ministry, delivered a sharp critique against Iran and Pakistan, accusing both nations of violating bilateral agreements and mistreating Afghanistani migrants. Speaking at a forum for business leaders, Stanikzai condemned the “provocative statements” made by Iranian politicians and media, asserting that these comments are fueling hostility toward Afghanistani refugees. He urged the Iranian government to treat Afghanistani migrants with “Islamic compassion and the rights of good neighborliness.”
Stanikzai emphasized that Afghanistanis in Iran do not receive state subsidies; instead, they contribute to the country’s economy by working and paying taxes. “Afghanistanis have played a crucial role in Iran’s development, and they should not be subjected to mistreatment,” he said. Iran has recently escalated efforts to deport over two million undocumented Afghanistani migrants by the end of the current solar year. Extensive operations in Tehran and other major cities have resulted in the detention and expulsion of hundreds of thousands of Afghanistani nationals.
Despite strong trade relations between the Taliban regime and Iran, which facilitate the daily movement of thousands of trucks between the two countries, Stanikzai criticized Iran for failing to provide adequate market access for Afghanistani goods. Currently, Iranian exports to Afghanistan are valued at $2 billion annually, and Taliban officials have made efforts to ease trade for Iranian merchants, but this reciprocity has not been extended to Afghanistani producers. Stanikzai also directed criticism toward Pakistan, accusing it of not honoring a 70-year-old agreement that allows Afghanistan to transit goods through the port of Karachi. He noted that Pakistan has recently shut its borders to Afghanistan, blocking the export of fruits and vegetables.
Stanikzai described Pakistan’s political climate as “unstable and troubling,” likening it to Afghanistan’s situation during the Soviet invasion and the U.S. military intervention. This speech underscores rising tensions between the Taliban administration and its neighbors over the treatment of Afghanistani migrants, particularly in the context of recent mass deportations and escalating humanitarian concerns.
