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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.
Sirajuddin Haqqani, Afghanistan’s Minister of Interior Affairs, met on Tuesday with Zamir Kabulov, Russia’s special representative to Kabul.
According to the Ministry of Interior, the two sides discussed enhancing cooperation between Afghanistan and Russia, along with security, economic, and political issues.
They also exchanged views on positive engagement and regional stability.
The Pakistani military regime has carried out rocket attacks in Khas Kunar district of Kunar province, with rockets hitting civilian homes.
Security officials in Kunar said on Tuesday evening the attacks have continued intermittently since early morning, but so far no information has been provided by authorities regarding casualties.
The Pakistani military regime has also carried out rocket attacks on some areas of Sarkano district in Kunar. Early reports indicate there have been no casualties in these strikes.
Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi met on Tuesday with Russia’s special envoy to Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov in Kabul, where the two sides discussed expanding political ties and deepening economic cooperation between the two countries.
According to a statement from Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, both officials emphasized the importance of further strengthening bilateral engagement and broadening cooperation across multiple sectors.
Muttaqi welcomed what he described as the positive development of relations between Afghanistan and Russia, and called for increased economic collaboration, the reactivation of the Joint Economic Commission, and the creation of a regular mechanism for political consultations.
The discussions also covered regional developments, with both sides stressing the importance of peace, stability and security. They exchanged views on enhancing relations with neighboring countries and highlighted the need for joint efforts to support constructive regional engagement.
Kabulov praised the current trajectory of ties between Kabul and Moscow and said Russia is prepared to expand practical cooperation with Afghanistan, particularly in the fields of trade, energy and transit.
He added that Moscow is interested in strengthening bilateral relations through joint economic projects, investment initiatives and infrastructure cooperation, while also promoting regional connectivity and long-term stability.
The meeting comes amid growing diplomatic engagement between the two countries as both sides seek to expand economic opportunities and strengthen regional partnerships.
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