Russia’s Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to suspend the Islamic Emirate’s designation as a banned organization in Russia, following a formal request from the Prosecutor General’s Office.

Although the IEA remains officially designated as a terrorist organization in Russia, the court’s ruling effectively freezes that classification, opening the door to broader political engagement.

The IEA, however, continues to be subject to United Nations sanctions.

According to Russian media reports, a representative of the IEA attended the closed-door court session, during which the court reviewed the prosecutor’s petition seeking to suspend the ban.

“The suspension follows an administrative lawsuit filed by the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Russian Federation,” Supreme Court Judge Oleg Nefyodov said while reading the ruling, according to local media.

The session was held behind closed doors, and Russian authorities have not yet publicly commented on the potential political implications of the move.

Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi, Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, held a telephone conversation with Amir Khan Muttaqi, acting foreign minister of Afghanistan on Thursday where they discussed bilateral issues.

Zia Ahmad Takal, head of public relations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in a statement on Thursday that the two sides discussed enhancing diplomatic relations, expanding cooperation between the two countries, and Muttaqi’s upcoming visit to Doha.