RASC News Agency: Nearly four years into the Taliban’s return to power, the group remains diplomatically isolated and continues to fall far short of meeting the core requirements of international legitimacy. Despite ongoing regional interactions, the Atlantic Council asserts in a recent analysis that Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states remain reluctant to formally recognize the Taliban as Afghanistan’s legitimate government. Published Friday, August 2, under the title “The Gulf States’ Stance on Russia’s Taliban Recognition,” the American think tank suggests that while Russia’s recent move to accept Taliban representatives may shift certain diplomatic dynamics, the path to formal legitimacy remains obstructed. The report underscores that although some Moscow-aligned countries may follow suit, the Gulf states at least officially have not echoed Russia’s endorsement.
The analysis details the United Arab Emirates’ informal engagements with the Taliban, including its role in managing Afghanistan’s airfields, facilitating regular flights to Kabul, and delivering humanitarian assistance. Yet, these forms of interaction, the Council stresses, do not equate to diplomatic recognition. Such engagements are framed more as pragmatic necessity than political endorsement. In its most recent summit held in Kuwait, the GCC which comprises Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman released a statement reiterating its commitment to human rights in Afghanistan. The statement emphasized the need to protect women’s rights, ensure access to education and employment for girls and women, and safeguard religious freedoms for Afghanistan’s diverse communities demands consistently disregarded by the Taliban regime.
Despite its de facto control of the country, the Taliban has categorically failed to form an inclusive government or demonstrate any adherence to international norms. Instead, the group has doubled down on authoritarianism, enforcing draconian restrictions on women, silencing independent media, ignoring basic civil liberties, and fostering alliances with designated terrorist organizations. These regressive policies have effectively blocked any pathway to global recognition. Except for Russia’s symbolic acceptance, not a single country in the world has officially recognized the Taliban as Afghanistan’s legitimate government. Even countries that have established practical or economic ties with the Taliban including China, Iran, and several Gulf states have expressed serious reservations about granting legitimacy to a regime whose conduct remains fundamentally out of step with the values of responsible governance and international norms.
Regional analysts and international observers caution that Moscow’s recognition may increase diplomatic pressure on some neighboring states. However, unless the Taliban undertakes sweeping reforms in both domestic policy and foreign engagement particularly concerning human rights, counterterrorism commitments, and political inclusivity Afghanistan is likely to remain diplomatically ostracized. The road to formal recognition, the report concludes, remains firmly closed.
