ISLAMABAD: Former United States special representative for Afghanistan reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad met Taliban Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Kabul during December, marking another significant interaction between the former American diplomat and the Islamic Emirate leadership since the 2021 power transition. The Afghan Foreign Ministry promptly confirmed the meeting through its official X account, describing the discussions as comprehensive and focused on exploring possibilities, opportunities, and challenges in Afghanistan-United States bilateral relations.
According to the official statement released by the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Minister Muttaqi emphasized the importance of initiating a new phase in relations with the United States through sustained dialogue and continuous engagement. He informed Khalilzad that following the complete withdrawal of foreign forces and the official end of conflict nearly four years ago, the relationship between the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and the United States has practically entered a new stage characterized by different dynamics and expectations from both sides.
The Afghan Foreign Ministry further reported that Khalilzad expressed appreciation for the security measures implemented by the Taliban administration and acknowledged the ongoing reconstruction and development efforts across various sectors of the country. He reportedly underscored the value of maintaining regular high-level contacts and continuing the series of bilateral meetings that have occurred periodically since the Doha agreement, viewing such interactions as essential for building mutual understanding in the post-withdrawal period.
This latest engagement represents the third documented visit by Zalmay Khalilzad to Kabul in recent months. He had previously traveled to the Afghan capital on October 22 and participated in a delegation visit on September 13, demonstrating a pattern of recurring diplomatic shuttles despite the absence of formal recognition of the current Afghan government by Washington or most Western capitals.
Taliban political officials welcomed the meeting with notable optimism. Zakir Jalali, head of the political affairs section at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reposted the official statement on X and commented that no major obstacles remain in improving relations between Afghanistan and the United States. He described the twenty-year period of military presence as an extraordinary and concluded chapter, after which both countries have entered a phase where significant barriers to reestablishing constructive ties appear substantially diminished.
Jalali particularly highlighted positive American contributions to major infrastructure projects including the rehabilitation work at Kandahar International Airport and the Kajaki Dam in Helmand province as examples of potential cooperation that should not be overlooked. He further referenced the historic Doha agreement signed in February 2020, asserting that the document demonstrates both parties' willingness to move beyond past constraints and adopt pragmatic approaches toward developing relations based on new realities and emerging opportunities.
The absence of any public statement from Zalmay Khalilzad regarding the content or outcome of the December meeting maintains a degree of ambiguity about the American perspective on these interactions. Khalilzad, who served as the chief US negotiator during the Trump administration and continued in an advisory capacity during parts of the Biden presidency, has remained one of the few high-profile American figures consistently engaging with Taliban leadership since the August 2021 takeover.
Analysts observe that these recurring meetings occur against the backdrop of gradual, albeit limited, pragmatic engagement between the de facto Afghan authorities and various international actors. While no country has formally recognized the Islamic Emirate, several governments including China, Russia, Iran, and several Central Asian states have developed working relationships across trade, security, and humanitarian domains, creating space for incremental diplomatic contacts.
The discussions reportedly covered broader themes of regional stability, counter-terrorism commitments, humanitarian access, and economic reconstruction -- issues that continue to define the complex international posture toward the Taliban administration nearly four years after their return to power. Whether these periodic high-level contacts will eventually translate into more structured policy frameworks or remain exploratory in nature continues to be a subject of intense diplomatic speculation.