Rahmatullah Nabil, former head of Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security, says Iran may officially recognize the Taliban administration in the “near future” based on what he described as geopolitical calculations and acceptance of an imposed reality.
In a post published Monday on X, Nabil warned that such a move could deepen Afghanistan’s ongoing crisis.
“Granting legitimacy to a government that has erased women, suppressed freedom, and pushed Afghanistan into historic isolation will bring neither stability nor legitimacy,” he wrote.
His remarks come as Iranian officials have previously hinted at the possibility of formally recognizing the Taliban administration.
Last year, Iran’s ambassador in Kabul, Alireza Bikdeli, said there were no major obstacles to recognizing Taliban authorities and suggested Tehran could take such a step in the near future.
He stated that the level of relations between Tehran and Kabul, the presence of ambassadors in both capitals, expanding trade ties, and growing diplomatic cooperation reflected a form of practical recognition already in place.
Since the Taliban returned to power, Iran has maintained political and economic relations with Kabul but has not officially recognized the Taliban government.
The question of formally recognizing the Taliban remains one of the most controversial issues across the region and within the international community.
