The Supreme Court of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan announced on Monday that four people were flogged for having same-sex relationships in Parwan province.

In the Supreme Court’s published newsletter, it is stated that these people were “accused of having sexual intercourse”.

The news report added that “three defendants were each sentenced to one year imprisonment and 39 lashes of punishment and the other defendant was sentenced to two years imprisonment and 39 lashes of punishment” by the primary court of Seyed Kheil district of Parwan province.

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Ambassador Tariq Ali Bakheet, the special envoy of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for Afghanistan, addressed delegates attending the third Doha meeting on Monday and said there was an urgent need for the international community to adopt a coordinated and integrated approach to deal with the ruling Islamic Emirate.

Bakhit said a strategic approach to deal with the many challenges facing Afghanistan and its people was crucial and that in order to achieve this, the world needs to engage continuously and constructively with the IEA.

He affirmed the organization’s commitment to continue constructive dialogue with the Islamic Emirate government in Afghanistan on the various challenges in line with the resolutions of the OIC’s Islamic Summit and the Council of Foreign Ministers – especially issues related to women’s rights to education, employment and combating terrorism.

Bakhit’s address came after the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, Rosemary DiCarlo, welcomed the “fruitful start” to the third meeting of special envoys on Afghanistan in the Qatari capital Doha.

The meeting, which ran over two days, June 30 and July 1, brought together what DiCarlo said was a “cross section of the international community and the Taliban (Islamic Emirate),” for the first time.

“Look forward to principled engagement to help the people of Afghanistan in many areas. And we thank Qatar for its support,” she said.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Qatar Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi said at the opening session of the meeting that the participation of the IEA in the meeting provides an important opportunity to conduct a meaningful dialogue regarding collective efforts to address the current challenges facing Afghanistan.

He said that the ultimate goal is to support the Afghan people and achieve peace and prosperity in Afghanistan so that it contributes positively to regional and global stability.

Representatives of 25 countries including the United States, European countries, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Saudi Arabia and India have attended the third Doha meeting on Afghanistan. Representatives of some international organizations have also participated in the meeting.

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An Iranian official has said that in the first three months of this year, 9,134 trucks carrying commercial goods moved to Afghanistan through the Abu Nasr Farahi port, an increase of about eight times compared to the same period last year.

Mohammad Kohgard, the head of customs in Iran’s South Khorasan province, told IRNA news agency that the total weight of goods transited through the Abu Nasr Farahi port was 236,235 tons and its total value was more than $35 million.

The goods included chemical fertilizers, used parts, and food items, which originated in Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Russia and Indonesia.

Meanwhile, the head of the Birjand Chamber of Commerce in Iran’s South Khorasan province has estimated the real trade potential between Iran and Afghanistan at $5 billion.

According to Tasnim news agency, Ali Reza Khamezar said that last year, $3 billion goods were exported to Afghanistan.