However, the elections will be held among massive social confusion and ambiguity: the candidates need not only win the loyalty of people, they must also be recognized by the Taliban, the main opposition force in the country. Without question, the coming presidential election will be one of the most important events for the people of Afghanistan. Despite the fact that ...
Less than a week after Ali Shamkhani returned to Tehran, Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi announced that representatives of the Taliban had visited Tehran and that the Afghan government was aware of the visit. Before the announcement, news and rumors were already circulating claiming that Tehran and Moscow had initiated talks with the Taliban, but Tehran never approved or ...