Poland’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Witold Sobkow and Amir Khan Muttaqi, acting Foreign Minister of the Islamic Emirate, met late Tuesday in Kabul and discussed political and economic cooperation, challenges faced by Afghan migrants in Europe, particularly in Poland, and several regional issues.

In a statement issued by the Afghan foreign ministry, Muttaqi stressed the need to increase contact between the foreign ministries of both countries in order to further strengthen bilateral relations.

He added that Islamic Emirate, through its balanced and economy-focused foreign policy, seeks to expand its relations with the international community, and noted that Poland could take advantage of emerging opportunities to invest in various sectors in Afghanistan.

Poland’s special representative, while praising the Islamic Emirate’s achievements in ensuring nationwide security and combating administrative corruption, stated that his country is considering economic investment options in Afghanistan. He also stressed the importance of addressing the challenges facing Afghan migrants.

The Solidarity Committee for Afghanistan (SCA) has issued a pressing call to the Swedish government, urging immediate and long-term action to address the worsening humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.

In a statement released during its annual meeting, the SCA warned that Afghanistan is on the brink of catastrophe.

“The people of Afghanistan are suffering severely from poverty and oppression,” the organization said, citing mass forced returns from Pakistan and Iran, with hundreds of thousands of refugees flooding back into a country already stretched beyond capacity.

With half of Afghanistan’s population in urgent need of humanitarian assistance and millions lacking access to healthcare, education, and clean water, the situation is rapidly deteriorating.

The effects of climate change, including recurring droughts and floods, have further exacerbated living conditions, while international sanctions and the diplomatic isolation of the taliban-led government continue to harm ordinary civilians.

The SCA strongly condemned the Islamic Emirate’s restrictions on women’s education and participation in public life, calling them “a violation of their most fundamental rights.”

The organization emphasized that the IEA must take responsibility for the Afghan people and prioritize the expansion of essential services, especially in health and education, while ensuring respect for the rights of girls and women.

The committee also expressed alarm over recent aid cuts, particularly by the United States.

The solidarity committee urged Sweden to take the lead in supporting Afghanistan through three key actions:

Develop an urgent plan to help mitigate the crisis and provide direct humanitarian support; formulate a long-term strategy to enable Afghans to escape poverty through secure livelihoods and reliable access to education and healthcare; and to work actively to reopen international dialogue and break the stalemate in engagement with Afghanistan’s authorities.

“Sweden cannot stand idly by,” the statement concluded. “Our country has long stood for human rights, gender equality, and international solidarity — principles that must now be upheld through decisive action in Afghanistan.”

The first-ever passenger rail service connecting Mashhad, Iran, and Herat, Afghanistan, is set to begin operations within the next two weeks, according to a senior Iranian transportation official.

Jabbarali Zakeri, Deputy Minister of Roads and Urban Development of Iran, confirmed the development and emphasized that this initiative is part of Iran’s broader strategy to expand regional rail connectivity and enhance transportation infrastructure across borders.

“As part of our planning, we anticipate the first passenger train between Mashhad and Herat will be launched within the next two weeks,” Zakeri stated. He added: “The railway system’s strategic focus is to

boost transit capacity. Transit corridors are being given high priority within the national rail network, with the primary objective being the expansion of cross-border transportation.”

While Zakeri did not provide further technical or logistical details, he noted that Iran’s Ministry of Roads and Urban Development had previously announced the construction of the rail link from Rozanak to

Herat. Once completed, this section will facilitate the movement of passenger trains between the two cities.

In addition to the Mashhad–Herat line, Zakeri also revealed that preliminary steps have been taken to establish a future passenger rail route between Mashhad and Mary (Merv) in Turkmenistan, signaling Iran’s intention to strengthen regional connectivity through expanded rail links.

The launch of this service marks a significant step toward improving trade, tourism, and people-to-people ties between Iran and Afghanistan, while also advancing Iran’s role as a regional transportation hub.