The European Union is adopting a more practical approach to its engagement with Afghanistan’s Islamic Emirate as it seeks cooperation on migration while continuing to raise concerns over women’s rights and the country’s long-term development, according to the EU’sThe Parliament Magazine.

The publication said the recent visit of an Islamic Emirate delegation to Brussels sparked criticism from human rights groups and opponents of the Afghan government, who argued that such contacts could contribute to the gradual normalization of relations.

According to the report, European governments have asked the Islamic Emirate to assist with the return of Afghan nationals residing illegally in Europe. In return, Afghan officials have reportedly requested authority over Afghan consulates across Europe to provide consular services to Afghan citizens.

The Parliament Magazine noted that granting such authority would not constitute formal diplomatic recognition but would mark a further step in expanding practical cooperation between the two sides.

The report said engagement between European officials and representatives of the Islamic Emirate has continued since 2021 through meetings in Doha and the United Arab Emirates. It also pointed to the reopening of the EU Delegation in Kabul in early 2022 as part of ongoing diplomatic contacts.

Germany has emerged as one of the European countries taking a more pragmatic approach, the magazine reported. Berlin has resumed the deportation of Afghan nationals convicted of crimes and has reportedly allowed representatives approved by the Islamic Emirate to manage some Afghan diplomatic missions to facilitate consular services.

The publication said the lack of fully functioning Afghan consulates in several European countries has left hundreds of thousands of Afghans with limited access to passports and other official documents, while also complicating immigration-related procedures.

According to The Parliament Magazine, growing migration pressures have strengthened the Islamic Emirate’s negotiating position, prompting the European Union to place greater emphasis on practical cooperation aimed at managing migration, improving consular services and supporting Afghanistan’s long-term stability and development.

Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan have signed a joint agreement aimed at strengthening regional connectivity and facilitating international transit and road freight cooperation among the three countries.

According to the Iranian Embassy in Dushanbe, the agreement was signed following a trilateral meeting held in the northeastern Iranian city of Mashhad, where officials discussed ways to expand regional transport and economic cooperation.

The agreement is designed to enhance cross-border freight transportation, facilitate international transit, strengthen economic ties and promote closer coordination in the field of international road transport.

The document was signed by Reza Akbari, Iran’s Deputy Minister of Roads and Urban Development and head of the Road Maintenance and Transportation Organization, Shayesteh Saeedmoradzadeh, Deputy Minister of Transport of Tajikistan, and Yar Mohammad Ramazan, Director General of Legal Affairs and Agreements at Afghanistan’s Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation.

Officials said the agreement reflects the three countries’ shared commitment to improving regional connectivity, expanding trade and making more effective use of existing transit corridors.

The initiative is expected to support greater economic cooperation, facilitate the movement of goods and strengthen Afghanistan’s role as a key transit link between Central and South Asia.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova has expressed concern over what she described as the “difficult humanitarian situation” in Afghanistan, citing high infant mortality rates and the spread of polio.

Speaking at a press briefing on Wednesday, Zakharova said that according to the World Health Organization (WHO), 21 polio cases were recorded between 2025 and 2026 in areas between Afghanistan’s and Pakistan.

She claimed that Afghan children under the age of 10 had limited access to vaccination, saying only 5–7% had been vaccinated. Zakharova also highlighted Afghanistan’s neonatal mortality rate, saying it stood at 33.1 deaths per 1,000 live births, which she described as nearly twice the global average.

She said infant deaths in Afghanistan were mainly linked to premature births and insufficient access to breast milk or nutritional substitutes.

Zakharova blamed what she called the “politicization of international humanitarian assistance” by Western countries for the humanitarian challenges in Afghanistan. She criticized US and allies sanctions against Kabul, saying they affected the most vulnerable segments of Afghan society, particularly children and newborns.

“International funding for humanitarian programs in Afghanistan is declining,” Zakharova said, adding that the freezing of Afghan banking assets had limited the government’s ability to finance crisis response measures.

She called on Western countries to return Afghanistan’s frozen assets and stop what she described as the “artificial politicization” of humanitarian aid to the country.

Zakharova added that Russia would continue providing humanitarian assistance to Afghans, including through relevant international organizations.