• Iran offers mediation, calls for regional dialogue
• Foreign Office says Taliban only sought to extend ceasefire, took no action against terrorists

ISTANBUL / ISLAMABAD: Three top Turkish officials are due in Islamabad this week to discuss tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday.

Turkiye has been acting as one of the mediators, alongside Qatar, and recently hosted multiple rounds of talks between Islamabad and Kabul following an escalation of tensions between the two neighbours over the past weeks.

Speaking to reporters on his flight back from Azerbaijan, Reuters quoted the Turkish president as saying that Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defence Minister Yasar Guler, and intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin will visit Islamabad.

Last week, talks between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban broke down without any agreement, as negotiators failed to bridge deep differences over monitoring and preventing cross-border terrorism.

At the time, Defence Minister Khaw­aja Asif said the negotiations had “ent­ered an indefinite phase”, although a temporary ceasefire between Kabul and Islamabad remains in place.

“Right now, as we speak, negotiations are over,” he said earlier last week, alleging that the Afghan Taliban delegation again came to Istanbul “without any programme” and was unwilling to sign a written agreement.

Iran offers mediation

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Mini­ster Abbas Araghchi spoke on Sunday by telephone with his Pakistani and Afghan counterparts, Ishaq Dar and Amir Khan Muttaqi, discussing bilateral ties as well as the recent negotiations in Istanbul between Islamabad and Kabul, the Iranian and Afghan foreign ministries said.

According to Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency, Mr Araghchi, during his conversation with the two ministers, announced Tehran’s readiness to provide any kind of assistance to resolve differences between the two countries.

Speaking to both sides, he expre­ssed concern over the current situation between Afghanistan and Pakis­tan, emphasising the need for continued dialogue, with the cooperation of influential regional countries, to res­olve differences and reduce tensions.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Dar, while briefing Mr Araghchi on the latest developments and the results of tal­ks between his country and Afgha­nistan, emphasised the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the region, according to IRNA. The two sides also agreed to continue consultations on this matter.

During Mr Araghchi’s talks with the Afghan foreign minister, Mr Muttaqi thanked Iran for its goodwill and provided an update on the current situation, as well as the outcomes of recent talks between Afghanistan and Pakistan. He also reiterated Afghanistan’s commitment to upholding the ceasefire and resolving issues through diplomacy and dialogue, IRNA reported.

FO slams Afghan Taliban

The Foreign Office (FO) on Sunday said the Afghan Taliban participated in talks with Pakistan this past week only to prolong a temporary ceasefire and did not take action against terrorist groups operating from Afghan soil, Dawn.com reported.

“Anyone following the talks mediated by Turkiye and Qatar could see that the Taliban regime was only interested in extending the temporary ceasefire without tak­ing concrete or verifiable steps against TTP/FaK [Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan/Fitna-al-Khawarij] and BLA/FaH [Balochistan Liberation Army/Fitna-al-Hindustan] eleme­nts in Afghanistan,” a statement issued by the FO read.

It added that the Afghan regime used the talks to malign Pakistan through hypothetical accusations and rhetoric, engaging in lengthy discussions without reaching any understanding. The Taliban also attempted to frame Pakistani terrorists hiding in Afghanistan as a “humanitarian issue”.

The FO highlighted that after Operation Zarb-i-Azb in 2015, terrorists fled to Afghanistan, assisted the Taliban against coalition forces, and the Afghan government, and were now harboured as a reward for their allegiance. It added that despite the breakdown of negotiations, Pakistan had never refused dialogue with “any government in Kabul”, but would not engage with terrorist groups.

The statement read that Pakistan had hoped the Taliban regime would control these attacks and take concrete action, while Islam­a­bad extended humanitarian assistance, encouraged trade, and facilit­ated educational and medical visas.

However, the Taliban’s response has been “hollow promises and inaction,” the FO said.

The statement reiterated that the Afghan Taliban hand over these terrorists, adding that Kabul repeatedly refused to do so, citing a lack of control. Moreover, the FO noted in its statement an attempt by elements in the Afghan Taliban to “instigate Pashtoon (Pakhtun) nationalism” in Pakistan.

“It is a historical fact that Pashtoons in Pakistan are a vibrant part of the society and the state, holding leadership positions across the spectrum of polity and bureaucracy,” the statement read.

Published in Dawn, November 10th, 2025