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US to increase pressure on IEA if decisions on women, girls are not reversed
The United States will take steps to increase pressure on the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan's (IEA) government to reverse some of its recent decisions restricting the rights of women and girls if it shows no sign of rescinding the actions on its own, Reuters reported.
"We've addressed it directly with the Taliban (IEA)," State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a briefing on Monday.
"We have a number of tools that, if we feel these won't be reversed, these won't be undone, that we are prepared to move forward with."
He did not elaborate on the possible steps or indicate how the IEA, which has already implemented policies curbing 20 years of gains for girls' and women's rights, might have a change of heart.
On Saturday the IEA ordered women to cover their faces in public, a return to a signature policy of their past rule and an escalation of restrictions.
The ideal face covering was the all-encompassing burqa, the IEA said.
The IEA has also restricted girls and women from working and limited their travel unless accompanied by a close male relative. Most girls were also barred from going to school beyond seventh grade.
"We've consulted closely with our allies and partners," Price said. "There are steps that we will continue to take to increase pressure on the Taliban (IEA) to reverse some of these decisions, to make good on the promises that they have made."
A key piece of leverage held by Washington over the IEA is the $7 billion in frozen Afghan central bank assets on US soil - half of which the Biden administration is seeking to free up to help the Afghan people, the administration has said.
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Iran’s envoy meets UNAMA deputy, stresses cooperation with Afghanistan
Hassan Kazemi Qomi, Iran's ambassador and special representative for Afghanistan met late Thursday with Georgette Gagnon, UNAMA’s deputy special political envoy for Kabul and they stressed the increase of cooperation with Afghanistan, the embassy said in a statement.
In this meeting, Qomi told Gagnon that Iran would support any initiative taken by the international community for Afghanistan.
In the meeting of Georgette Gagnon with Mr. Kazemi, the issue of narcotics and the presence of the private sector in Afghanistan were discussed, and Iran supports any constructive initiative of the international community for Afghanistan,” according to the statement.
Experts, meanwhile, believe the solutions of the United Nations to cooperate with Afghanistan's neighboring countries in consolidating stability and security can solve key issues such as terrorism and immigration.
Some experts consider strengthening Iran's partnership and cooperation with the UN for greater stability in Afghanistan is important and necessary.
However, Iran has not yet recognized the caretaker government of Afghanistan and has repeatedly emphasized the establishment of a comprehensive government in the country.
Over the past three years, Iran has established good relations with the Islamic Emirate, and trade between the two countries has increased.
Meanwhile, Tehran has previously opposed the appointment of a special representative for Afghanistan by the United Nations.
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Ten people killed in Baghlan attack
Ten people were killed by unknown individuals in Afghanistan’s northern Baghlan province on Thursday night, police said on Friday.
The incident happened as the victims were doing Zikr at a mosque in Shahr-e-Kuhna of Nahrin district, police said in a statement.
The statement said that they used to regularly go to mosques and monasteries at night after returning from work.
Abdul Ghayoor Khadim, a provincial police official, said that several people were arrested in connection with the incident, adding that an investigation was launched.
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Chinese, Turkmen officials meet to discuss Afghanistan
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Serdar Muhammetdurdiyev on Thursday met with Chinese special envoy for Afghanistan, Yue Xiaoyong, the Foreign Ministry of Turkmenistan announced.
During the meeting, the sides discussed priority vectors of strategic interstate cooperation built on a long-term, mutually beneficial basis, as well as exchanged views on the implementation of previously reached agreements.
It was noted that personal contacts between the leaders of the two countries play a key role in intensifying the interstate dialogue, which give a strong impulse to further development and expansion of Turkmen-Chinese ties.
It was emphasized that Turkmenistan considers multilateral international platforms for maintaining stability in Afghanistan as an important factor in promoting sustainable improvement of socio-economic state of the neighboring country. The sides exchanged views on the preparations to the 5th meeting of Foreign Ministers of Afghanistan's Neighboring States to be held in Turkmenistan.
The interlocutors reaffirmed that Turkmenistan and China will continue to provide all-round support for the economic restoration of Afghanistan.
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