Jan 8, 2022: The Taliban’s foreign minister visited Iran on Saturday to discuss Afghan refugees and the growing economic crisis, the first such visit to a neighboring country since the Taliban seized power.

Iran, like other nations, has not yet recognized the new Taliban-led government formed after the hasty withdrawal of US-led foreign forces in August. Taliban Foreign Ministry spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi said on Twitter that the purpose of the visit was to discuss political, economic, transit and refugee issues between Afghanistan and Iran.

Already hosting millions of Afghans and fearing new arrivals, Tehran has sought to outline its relationship with the Taliban. He said a Taliban delegation led by Foreign Minister Amir Khan Mottaki had already held an initial meeting with Iranian officials.

Iran, which shares a 900-kilometer (550-mile) border with Afghanistan, did not recognize the Sunni movement’s rule during its rule from 1996 to 2001. The Islamists have yet to recognize the current government, with the Taliban insisting on a comprehensive administration.

“Today we are basically not in a position to recognize the Taliban,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzada told a news conference earlier this week.

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