Taliban Officials Express Discontent Over Iran’s Tribute to Khamenei

The grand international farewell ceremony for Ayatollah Khamenei, the martyr leader of Iran who was killed in a terrorist act by the U.S. and Israeli regimes, has been met with discontent from some Taliban officials.

​Taliban’s Protest Against Tehran’s Official Protocols for Resistance Leaders

Mohammad Naeem Wardak, a senior official at the Taliban Foreign Ministry, expressed his deep dissatisfaction with the participation of the group’s opposition in Tehran and has called for explanations from Iranian officials. He described the granting of official ceremonial protocols to Ahmad Massoud (leader of the National Resistance Front) and Mohammad Mohaqiq (a prominent Jihadist and political leader) as a noteworthy move.

In this context, Khairullah Shinwari, another official from the ministry, referred to Tehran’s actions as contrary to the principles of neighborliness. Experts have interpreted these positions as attempts by Kabul to interfere in Iran’s sovereign decisions and independent diplomatic policies. This protest arises despite the fact that a senior and official Taliban delegation, led by Mullah Baradar (Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs) and Amir Khan Muttaqi (Foreign Minister), was also present at the ceremony with an official invitation and welcome from Tehran.

Ending Kabul’s Monopolistic Approach and Embracing National Entities

The monopolistic tendencies of Kabul officials have faced widespread backlash from Afghan political factions and public opinion. Observers believe that the Taliban is exhibiting a delusion of power and seeks to impose its will on the diplomatic protocols of other countries. In this context, the political movement ‘Rasa’ (Green Movement of Afghanistan) officially expressed its condolences to the Iranian nation following the martyrdom of its esteemed leader. The movement explicitly praised the courageous and commendable decision of the Islamic Republic of Iran to invite Ahmad Massoud and Mohammad Mohaqiq, describing Tehran’s actions as a symbolic and strategic message, and a robust response against Taliban unilateralism.

​Emphasis on Ethnic Diversity and Rejection of Monolithic Governance

The Green Movement emphasized in its statement that Tehran’s diplomatic and assertive actions have once again demonstrated to the world that the reality of Afghanistan is a pluralistic and diverse society. No oppressive and mono-ethnic group can claim to represent this land entirely. The movement denounced the current structure of Kabul as unnational and stressed that solidarity among genuine political factions, along with ongoing regional support for pluralistic diversity, will create the necessary conditions to overcome the current crisis and establish a legitimate system based on the public will.