Afghanistan’s UN Seat Dispute: Acting Envoy Rejects Taliban’s Claim

Nasir Ahmad Faeeq, the acting head of Afghanistan’s permanent mission to the United Nations, has firmly responded to repeated requests by Amir Khan Muttaqi for the Taliban to assume the country’s UN seat, labeling their claims as legally unfounded due to a lack of domestic and international legitimacy.

Faeeq emphasized that the UN seat should be reserved for governments that arise from the will of the people. He criticized the Taliban for stifling freedom of expression and imposing severe restrictions on women’s rights to work and education, stating that such actions violate accepted global standards. Currently, the United Nations is withholding the transfer of this seat to the Taliban due to a lack of international consensus and Kabul’s failure to establish an inclusive political structure. As a result, the representation of Afghanistan remains in the hands of diplomats from the previous government.