Iran to take part in Moscow Format meeting on Afghanistan

Tehran will send its representative to take part in the Moscow Format meeting on Afghanistan that will take place in the Russian city of Kazan on September 29, the ISNA news agency reported, citing Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani, according to TASS.

"As far as we know, the host country’s government has invited a Taliban delegation (the Taliban movement is outlawed in Russia - TASS) to the meeting," Kanaani added.

Zamir Kabulov, Russian Special Presidential Envoy for Afghanistan and Director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Second Asian Department, told TASS earlier that the Moscow Format consultations on Afghanistan would be held in Kazan on September 29. According to him, the focus of the meeting will be on the inclusivity of the Taliban-formed interim Afghan government. Kabulov added that the Taliban delegation had confirmed its participation.

The Moscow Format on Afghanistan was established in 2017 to facilitate efforts to promote the process of national reconciliation in Afghanistan. The platform brings together Russia, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Its previous meeting took place in Moscow in November 2022. Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Turkey were present at the meeting as observers. The Taliban welcomed the Moscow Format on Afghanistan and expressed their desire to participate in future consultations.