RASC News Agency: Abdul Rab Rasul Sayyaf, a prominent Afghanistani jihadist leader, has called on the Taliban to establish a Shura-e-Hal wa Aqd (Council of Resolution and Contract) to ensure a legitimate and representative governance structure. During his visit to Iran, Sayyaf asserted that the Taliban’s rule is devoid of legitimacy, emphasizing that the people’s representatives must play a decisive role in electing the nation’s leader. In an interview with IRAF News Agency, Sayyaf visiting Iran for the first time in five decades stressed that such a council should be composed of delegates from districts and provinces across the country, thereby ensuring an inclusive process for selecting Afghanistan’s leader. He argued that a leader chosen through this mechanism would command public allegiance, something the Taliban has thus far failed to secure.
The veteran jihadist leader recalled that Burhanuddin Rabbani’s government was founded upon the principles of such a council, granting it religious legitimacy. He emphasized that this foundational legitimacy was the reason he and his allies defended Rabbani’s government against the Taliban. Sayyaf further asserted that if the Taliban were to adopt a similar approach, he and his associates would have no objections and would respect the council’s decision even if they were not directly involved in the process. Sayyaf criticized the Taliban as a movement that has seized power without popular mandate while falsely claiming to enforce Sharia law. He questioned the very foundation of their governance, arguing that the establishment of an Islamic system requires well-defined principles and a structured methodology. “The implementation of Sharia is not merely a declaration it is a discipline, a specialized field,” he asserted.
His call for the formation of a governing council comes against the backdrop of his longstanding influence in Afghanistani politics. Over the past two decades, Sayyaf played a pivotal role in the country’s electoral processes, serving two terms as a parliamentary representative for Kabul. He was also a candidate in the 2014 presidential election, though he was ultimately unsuccessful. Reaffirming his commitment to peace, Sayyaf stated that he has consistently urged the Taliban to recognize that armed conflict cannot provide a lasting solution. However, he contended that the Taliban has remained unwilling to engage in meaningful peace efforts. He also noted that even factions engaged in armed resistance do not reject the idea of a negotiated settlement. According to Sayyaf, opposition groups outside Afghanistan have achieved significant levels of coordination and strategic alignment.
Concluding his interview, Sayyaf addressed the Afghanistani people with a message of hope: “The dark night will end, and a bright future awaits.” During his visit to Iran, Sayyaf met with key officials of the Islamic Republic. In recent years, Iran has significantly expanded its engagement with Afghanistani political figures and opposition movements. Notably, senior commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) recently convened with leaders of the National Resistance Council for the Salvation of Afghanistan in Ankara, signaling Tehran’s deepening involvement in shaping Afghanistan’s political trajectory.
