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OPINION JANUARY 16, 2026 | The Indian Eye 10

Emerging Regional Split

on Taliban-Ruled Afghanistan

The recent meeting in Tehran brought together Afghanistan’s neighbors—Iran, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, China, Tajikistan,
Turkmenistan and Russia—for consultations to promote stability in Afghanistan and reduce regional tensions. The lack
of participation by the Taliban, Islamabad’s growing securitizing of Taliban-ruled Afghanistan and Central Asian States’
formation of a new Contact Group on Afghanistan indicate an emerging regional split vis-à-vis Afghanistan

to tackle issues of cross-border smug-
gling, narcotics trade and the Baloch
insurgency in their borderlands.
CENTRAL ASIAN STATES’
PREFERENCE FOR PRAGMATIC
ENGAGEMENT
ollowing the withdrawal of the
US and NATO forces in Af-
Fghanistan, the neighbors of Af-
DEEPIKA SARASWAT ghanistan, from Uzbekistan to Iran,
and China, adopted a de-securitized
n 14 December 2025, Iran’s approach towards addressing the chal-
Foreign Minister Abbas Ara- lenges emanating from Afghanistan.
Oghchi hosted representatives By concluding that an isolated Tali-
of Afghanistan’s neighbors—Iran, Pa- ban-ruled Afghanistan would be a far
kistan, Uzbekistan, China, Tajikistan, bigger threat to regional security, they
Turkmenistan and Russia—for consul- country should no longer be viewed as rity concerns and to influence regional opted to maintain working diplomatic
tations to promote stability in Afghani- a ‘problem’. Our foreign policy is based discourse on Afghanistan. Tehran, for ties and engage the Taliban on count-
stan and reduce regional tensions. The on clear principles, and we support ac- its part, is also keen to project itself as er-terrorism and border security. At
Taliban were invited to the session but tive, cooperative relations with coun- a constructive player espousing a ‘re- the same time, functional cooperation
declined to participate. The meeting tries in the region. gional solution’ to regional crises at a on trade and connectivity was framed
came in the wake of stalled diplomatic time when Turkey, Qatar and Saudi as essential to stabilize the country and
efforts to sustain the ceasefire between INTENSIFIED IRAN–PAKISTAN Arabia have played a mediating and utilize economic opportunities within
Pakistan and the Taliban, who have en- DIPLOMACY facilitating role between the Taliban a broader vision of collective security
gaged in frequent border clashes, with and Pakistan. However, the deteriorat- and mutually beneficial regional eco-
Pakistan resorting to air strikes in the n November, Ali Larijani, the ing ties between Pakistan and the Tal- nomic integration.
border provinces of Afghanistan, re- Secretary of Iran’s Supreme Na- iban are shaping an emerging regional Uzbekistan, having embarked on
sulting in civilian casualties. Itional Security Council, followed split vis-à-vis Afghanistan. a proactive foreign policy of deepening
The Taliban’s refusal to attend by Bahrami, visited Islamabad. Their As part of this regional strategy, cooperation with Central Asian neigh-
the meeting was based on their al- talks with Pakistan’s high security offi- Iran also remains interested in main- bors since the 2016 power transition,
ready being engaged with the major cials focused on the security situation taining a stable Kabul–Islamabad rela- has been at the forefront of expand-
regional players bilaterally or in other in Afghanistan and on closer bilateral tionship, which stems from its own his- ing bilateral ties with Afghanistan,
established multilateral forums (such coordination on counter-terrorism and tory of relations with Pakistan. These which have continued to strengthen
as the Moscow Format). Also, as Pa- border security. In an interview with have seen several ups and downs on after the Taliban takeover in 2021. In
kistan was attending, it was a chance journalists in Islamabad, Larijani said account of the escalating violence in August 2025, special representatives
to assert Afghanistan’s autonomy in Iran is prepared to offer Pakistan a dip- Iran’s Sistan and Baluchistan prov- from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajiki-
foreign policy decision-making, in lomatic blank cheque to help resolve ince, bordering Pakistan, from the stan and Uzbekistan on Afghanistan
view of the recent and intense clashes issues with India and Afghanistan. In Salafi group Jaish-al-Adl targeting se- met in Tashkent and announced the
along the Durand Line. This is evident August, Iranian President Masoud curity personnel and establishments establishment of a new permanent re-
from the remarks made by Amir Khan Pezeshkian’s visit to Pakistan gave a in the wake of the disorder following gional platform: the Contact Group on
Muttaqi, Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign new fillip to bilateral ties. the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. Afghanistan. Central Asian States view
Minister, to Mohammad Reza Bahra- Although the regional meeting in Iranian security officials have increas- their security as being closely linked to
mi, Iran’s Director General for South Tehran on Afghanistan failed to issue ingly blamed the intelligence services Afghanistan and are keen to adopt a
Asia at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a joint statement, it did issue a call for of regional rivals, especially Israel, for unified approach to engaging Afghan-
who visited Kabul on 17 December. a coordinated regional framework to funding these outfits. After Iran and istan as a partner on key issues, includ-
During discussions, Muttaqi said: advance sustainable security and to Pakistan had tit-for-tat missile strikes ing transboundary water management,
Afghanistan has now passed a integrate Afghanistan as a key transit on terrorist targets on each other’s ter- border security, transport, logistics and
difficult phase and is moving rapid- hub. The meeting also offered Islam- ritory in January 2024, both sides have the environment. Their regional initia-
ly toward development and that the abad a platform to articulate its secu- favored greater bilateral engagement Continued on next page... >>

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