Iran's long-standing relations with the Northern political movements opposed to the Taliban are being revived.
Author: Nurullah Walizadeh, analyst, especially for Sangar
Muhammad Muhaqqiq's visit to Iran, along with several members of the Resistance Council, is an important event. It demonstrates Iran's efforts to create a united front of political opponents of the Taliban. Not long ago, Ustad Sayyaf visited Iran, and before that, a delegation of Iranian officials and IRGC commanders visited Turkey and met with members of the Supreme Resistance Council. These meetings are reportedly continuing, and Iran's long-standing relations with the Northern political movements and opponents of the Taliban are being revived.
Special efforts by Iran, Pakistan, the United States, Russia, and some other influential countries in the region are to some extent seen in creating an anti-Taliban front. The members of the Supreme Resistance Council, who had traditional ties with the countries of the region, also established relations with the Americans during the Republican era. Whenever there is talk of creating a strong opposition to the Taliban, everyone turns to this council and tries to attract more of its members to their side. It seems that after Trump's victory and his policy of appeasement and engagement with the Taliban, members of the Supreme Resistance Council have concluded that they can no longer wait and hope for the United States. This conclusion tilts them towards the countries of the region.
Daudzai's presence in the National Assembly and the very creation of the National Assembly have been interpreted by some as evidence that the regional and Western countries have somehow agreed that someone like Daudzai should take over the leadership of the political opponents of the Taliban. Someone who has ties to the countries of the region and is also considered a bearer of Western influence. However, the withdrawal of the Resistance Front and the Islamic Community has somewhat upset this consensus.
Muhammad Muhaqqiq used to be an Iranian-backed figure in Afghanistan, but over the past four years, he has shown little desire to get closer to Iran, or perhaps the Iranians have shown little desire to cooperate with him. In any case, he has been distant from Iran and has even made critical remarks about Tehran and its stance on the Taliban in some meetings. It seems that Muhaqqiq has concluded that Iran will no longer interfere in Afghanistan in the same way as before. In light of this, Muhaqqiq's visit to Iran indicates that Iran's policy towards the Taliban has changed.
If we recall, before the IRGC delegation went to Turkey to meet with Taliban opponents, a delegation from Pakistan also visited Turkey. The Pakistani delegation also had a similar goal. The trip even prompted Zalmay Khalilzad to respond and warn Taliban opposition leaders not to become a tool of Pakistan.
