The Washington Post reported on September 22 that the Taliban government in Afghanistan has made progress in its diplomatic relations with some countries, but still faces internal and external constraints. In July, Russia became the first country to formally recognize the Taliban regime, and several other countries have engaged with Afghanistan for different reasons, indicating that more countries are gradually accepting the reality that the Taliban regime will not fall in the short term. This phenomenon has multiple reasons: first, European countries, due to a surge in anti-immigration sentiment at home, need the Afghan government to cooperate in repatriating Afghan immigrants, so they choose to avoid public recognition but maintain a "non-official cooperation" position. For example, Germany allowed two Afghan government envoys to enter on July 21. Second, countries such as the United States and Russia face a common enemy - the Islamic State's Khorasan Province (ISIS-K), so counter-terrorism cooperation and hostage repatriation have become important links. In March, U.S. Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs Adam Boehler visited Afghanistan and successfully facilitated the release of an American citizen, George Glezmann. Third, neighboring countries such as China attempt to promote Afghanistan's role as a transit hub and trade partner. On May 21, 2025, the foreign ministers of China, Afghanistan, and Pakistan held an informal meeting in Beijing, promoting the exchange of ambassadors between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Although Afghanistan has made some progress in diplomacy, its prospects for摆脱 international isolation remain unclear, mainly due to two obstacles: one is internal conflicts and shortcomings in diplomatic capabilities. The Afghan government has sharp internal conflicts, and various countries tend to engage with the "pragmatic faction" such as the Minister of Interior and the Minister of Defense, avoiding direct negotiations with the hardline faction in Kandahar. Additionally, Afghan diplomats lack professionalism, often "reciting from the script," making communication difficult. The other is external constraints; the hardline faction in Afghanistan has imposed strict restrictions on women's rights, making it difficult to have open and deep cooperation with the West. Most embassies of countries in Kabul remain closed, and senior Taliban officials are still under UN sanctions. For example, Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi was unable to visit India and Pakistan due to the refusal of the UN sanctions committee to issue a travel exemption.
Original source: www.toutiao.com/article/1843978670114823/
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