Iran International
Iranian media and political commentators have criticized Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s official visit to Kabul on Sunday, arguing that Tehran has not yet formally recognized the Taliban government.
In a Monday article, reformist publication Etemad Online questioned the rationale behind the visit, arguing that while neighboring countries are a priority in foreign policy, visiting a nation whose government Tehran has not recognized raises significant concerns. The article noted that the trip took place “despite warnings from experts.”
The caretaker of Iran's embassy in Kabul, Alireza Bigdeli, declined to confirm whether Araghchi’s visit signified recognition of the Taliban regime. “Recognition [of a government’s legitimacy] is a process grounded in international law with its own specific criteria,” he said, asserting the distinction between diplomatic engagement and formal recognition.
On Saturday, the conservative newspaper Jomhouri Eslami had urged Araghchi to cancel the trip, citing unresolved issues such as disputes over water rights between Tehran and Kabul, border violations by the Taliban, the influx of illegal immigrants into Iran, and Taliban support for terrorist groups.
The newspaper warned that attempting to address these issues during the visit was “only an illusion” and predicted the visit would yield no tangible benefits.
In a harshly worded commentary published Monday, Jomhouri Eslami criticized the visit, calling the Taliban an “insurgent, violent, and backward group.” The article also questioned whether the Taliban merited attention from the Iranian Foreign Minister and accused proponents of the visit of either misunderstanding the region or prioritizing personal agendas over Iran’s national interests.
Ali Bigdeli, a senior foreign policy expert, also expressed skepticism in an interview with the Fararu news website. He argued that Araghchi didn't have to travel to Kabul to address Iran’s water rights regarding the Helmand River or recent tensions with Afghanistan. Bigdeli suggested that Iran could have invited a high-ranking Afghan delegation to Tehran instead.
Notably, the leader of the Taliban, Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada, did not meet with the Iranian foreign minister during his one-day visit.
Araghchi stated that Afghan officials had pledged to honor their obligations regarding Iran’s share of the Helmand River water, framing it as both “human and religious duties.”
While some media outlets were critical, others offered a more positive assessment of the visit.
Khabar Online, a platform affiliated with former Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani, highlighted potential economic and political benefits. The outlet also discussed the opportunity to resolve longstanding water disputes, which, if left unaddressed, could trigger mass migration from Iran’s southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan.
“Experts in international relations believe that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, recognizing Afghanistan’s geopolitical significance, is prioritizing trade and security to align Afghan authorities’ political behavior with Iran’s national interests,” the outlet's report noted.
During his visit, Araghchi expressed Tehran's eagerness to boost imports from Afghanistan in order to establish a more balanced trade relationship. Currently, Afghanistan imports oil, gas, food products, construction materials, agricultural machinery, and petrochemical goods from Iran.
According to Afghanistan’s Ministry of Industries and Trade, bilateral trade grew by 84% in 2024, reaching $3.197 billion.
