The foreign relations of Afghanistan are in a transitional phase since 2021, in the aftermath of the fall of Kabul to the Taliban and the collapse of the internationally recognized Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. The new Taliban-led government has been recognised by one country, Russia, and some countries have engaged in informal diplomatic contact with the Islamic Emirate, formal relations remain limited to representatives of the Islamic Republic.
History
In the 19th century, Afghanistan had to contend with aggression on multiple sides, as it became part of the Great Game confrontation between Britain and Russia.
Contemporary era Before the Soviet invasion, Afghanistan pursued a policy of neutrality and non-alignment in its foreign relations, being one of the few independent nations to stay neutral in both World War I and World War II. In international forums, Afghanistan generally followed the voting patterns of Asian and African non-aligned countries. During the 1950s and 1960s, Afghanistan was able to use the Soviet and American need for allies during the Cold War as a way to receive economic assistance from both countries. However, given that unlike the Soviet Union, the United States refused to give extensive military aid to the country, the government of Daoud Khan developed warmer ties with the USSR while officially remaining non-aligned. Following the coup of April 1978, the government under Nur Muhammad Taraki developed significantly closer ties with the Soviet Union and its communist satellites.
After the December 1979 Soviet invasion, Afghanistan's foreign policy mirrored that of the Soviet Union. Afghan foreign policymakers attempted, with little success, to increase their regime's low standing in the non-communist world. With the signing of the Geneva Accords, President Najibullah unsuccessfully sought to end the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan's isolation within the Islamic world and in the Non-Aligned Movement.
Most Western countries, including the United States, maintained small diplomatic missions in the Afghan capital Kabul during the Soviet occupation. Many countries subsequently closed their missions due to instability and heavy fighting in Kabul after the Soviet withdrawal in 1989.
Many countries initially welcomed the introduction of the Taliban regime, who they saw as a stabilising, law-enforcing alternative to the warlords who had ruled the country since the fall of Najibullah's government in 1992. The Taliban soon alienated itself as knowledge of the harsh Sharia law being enforced in Taliban-controlled territories spread around the world. The brutality towards women who attempted to work, learn, or leave the house without a male escort caused outside aid to the war-torn country to be limited.
Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Following the October 2001 American invasion and the Bonn Agreement the new government under the leadership of Hamid Karzai started to re-establish diplomatic relationships with many countries who had held close diplomatic relations before the communist coup d'état and the subsequent civil war.
The Afghan government was focused on securing continued assistance for rebuilding the economy, infrastructure, and military of the country. It continued to maintain close ties with North America, the European Union, South Korea, Japan, Australia, India, Pakistan, China, Russia and the Greater Middle East (most specifically Turkey), as well as African nations. It also sought to establish relations with more South American or Latin American nations.
Before the fall of Kabul in 2021, the foreign relations of Afghanistan were handled by the nation's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which was headed by Mohammad Hanif Atmar. He answered to, and received guidance from, the President of Afghanistan.
Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan
The Taliban gradually gained control of the country in the summer of 2021 and proclaimed the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan on August 15, 2021. The takeover culminated with the fall of Kabul. The Taliban has had some limited contact with foreign governments and will need to develop further relations with the international community as its new de facto government goes forward.
On 20 September 2021, the new government designated Mohammad Suhail Shaheen as a replacement for Ghulam M Isaczai, Permanent Representative of Afghanistan to the United Nations who continues to represent the country at the UN. The UNGA's nine-member credentials committee will decide on this but no date has been set.
Since the Taliban took over the Afghan government, countries including China, Russia, and the United States have contacted Taliban representatives, but have expressed doubts about its commitment to counterterrorism. Border clashes between the Taliban forces with Pakistan, Iran and Turkmenistan, and border closure and hostilities towards Tajikistan, have also caused friction with Afghanistan's neighbours.
In September 2023, China became the first country to formally name a new ambassador to the country since the takeover, even though China still does not formally recognize the Taliban.
On 3 July 2025, Russia become the first country to formally recognise the Taliban as the government of Afghanistan since the Taliban took over the country since 2021.
Diplomatic relations List of countries which claim to maintain diplomatic relations with Afghanistan: #CountryDate12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940414243444546474849505152535455565758596061626364656667686970717273747576777879808182838485868788899091929394—9596979899100101102103104105106107108109110111112113114115116117118119120—121122123124Unknown—Unknown125Unknown
Bilateral relations Afro-Asia Country Formal relations beganNotesDecember 1969Both countries established diplomatic relations in December 1969.5 September 1996Both countries established diplomatic relations on 5 September 1996.
Afghanistan is accredited to Armenia from its embassy in Moscow, Russia. Armenia is accredited to Afghanistan from its embassy in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.16 November 1994The two countries established diplomatic relations on 16 November 1994.
Afghanistan has an embassy in Baku. Azerbaijan to build its embassy in Kabul in the near future.1 June 1972Both countries established diplomatic relations on 1 June 1972.See Afghanistan–Bangladesh relations
Afghanistan has an embassy in Dhaka.5 December 1984Both countries established diplomatic relations on 5 December 1984.20 April 2010Both countries established diplomatic relations on 20 April 2010.14 February 2007Both countries established diplomatic relations on 14 February 2007.20 January 1955Both countries established diplomatic relations on 20 January 1955. See Afghanistan–China relations Afghanistan has an embassy in Beijing. China has an embassy in Kabul.10 May 1928Both countries established diplomatic relations on 10 May 1928. Afghanistan has an embassy in Cairo. Egypt has an embassy in Kabul.12 July 1994Both countries established diplomatic relations on 12 July 1994. 10 December 1947See Afghanistan–India relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 10 December 1947.
India had traditionally enjoyed friendly relations with Afghanistan. Despite that, India supported the Soviet invasion and occupation of Afghanistan. Relations deteriorated after the Taliban took power in 1996. India unofficially supported the Northern Alliance minority groups against the Pakistani-backed Taliban. During the course of the hijack of Indian Airlines Flight 814 in 1999, the Taliban requested recognition by India in exchange for help in negotiations. The request was not acted upon by the Indian government. After the fall of the Taliban in late 2001, India strengthened ties with the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan by establishing consulates in most major Afghan cities.
India had participated in multiple socio-economic reconstruction efforts, including power, roads, agricultural and educational projects. Some of these include building dozens of dams and reservoirs, a number of hospitals or clinics, schools and government institutions. The long road from Bandar-Abbas in southern Iran to highway 1 in southern Afghanistan was carried out by state-owned Border Roads Organisation (BRO), the mission statement of which states that the BRO is India's "most reputed, multifaceted, transnational, modern construction organization committed to meeting the strategic needs of the armed forces." The killing of a BRO employee by the neo-Taliban in 2005 prompted the Indian authorities to dispatch approximately 200 Indo-Tibetan Border Police commandos to in 2006 to provide security for Indians working in various construction projects in Afghanistan.
Political contacts between India and Afghanistan had increased in 2011, especially after the death of Osama bin Laden in Pakistan. During Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's May 2011 visit to Kabul, it was announced that India's total aid to Afghanistan reached $2 billion after a package of $500 million was added. There was also military ties between Afghanistan and India, which is expected to increase after the October 2011 strategic pact that was signed by President Karzai and Manmohan Singh.Pakistan a twin brother, talks to go on: Karzai . Pajhwok Afghan News. Sujoy Dhar. 5 October 2011. India's the largest regional provider of humanitarian and reconstruction aid to Afghanistan. Afghanistan has an embassy in New Delhi and a consulate-general in Mumbai. India had an embassy in Kabul and consulates-general in Herat, Jalalabad, Kandahar and Mazar-e-Sharif.20 May 1950See Afghanistan–Indonesia relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 20 May 1950 when Minister of Indonesia to Afghanistan Major-General R. H. Abdul Kadir presented his credentials.
Afghanistan has an embassy in Jakarta. Indonesia has an embassy in Kabul.2 May 1920See Afghanistan–Iran relations Both countries established diplomatic relations on 2 May 1920 when has been accredited first Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of Afghanistan to Persia Sardar Abdol Aziz Khan.
Afghanistan's relations with Iran have fluctuated over the last decades, with periodic disputes over the water rights of the Helmand River as one of the main issues of contention. Following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the Iranian Revolution, relations deteriorated. Iran supported the cause of the Afghan resistance and provided limited assistance to the ethnic Hazara rebel leaders who pledged loyalty to the Iranian Revolution. After the emergence of the Taliban, Iran stepped up assistance to the Northern Alliance minority ethnic groups. Iran did not have any form of relations with the Taliban. In 1998, when the Taliban captured the northern Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif, several Iranian diplomats were executed on espionage charges.
Since 2002, the new Afghan government has engaged in cordial relations with both Iran and the United States, even as relations between Iran and the United States have grown strained due to American objections to Iran's nuclear program. While Iran is helping to develop the Afghan Shia communities, the NATO officials have been accusing Iran of secretly arming and training the Taliban insurgents.. 10 September 2009. Iran is accused of playing a double game in Afghanistan, a helper to the Afghan Shias and a destabilizer for the larger Sunni Afghans. In 2010, several high-level Iranian officials openly voiced for a failed Afghanistan.