Yatimov held a meeting with a representative of the Taliban

A high-ranking Taliban official arrived on an official visit to Dushanbe and met with the chairman of the State Committee for National Security of Tajikistan.

According to the press service of the Balkh province administration in Afghanistan, on Thursday, October 23, the Taliban governor of this province, Yusuf Wafa, visited Dushanbe at an official invitation, where he held talks with Tajik representatives of security and border agencies.

The press service of the Balkh province administration notes that the meeting discussed the establishment of bilateral relations, the expansion of diplomatic, cultural, trade-economic, and scientific ties between Dushanbe and Kabul.

The parties emphasized the necessity of joint efforts to combat security threats, terrorist groups, and drug trafficking networks, labeling these issues as priorities.

It was also reported that the head of the State Committee for National Security of Tajikistan assured the Taliban that no activities directed against them would be conducted on Tajik territory.

Since the Taliban seized power in Kabul, until recently, Tajik officials openly and sharply criticized the Taliban movement on international platforms, expressing support for its opponents. The Tajik authorities have consistently expressed concern about threats emanating from Afghanistan.

The Taliban have also repeatedly stated that they would not allow threats to neighboring states to originate from their territory.

Additionally, it is known that some anti-Taliban forces previously found refuge in Tajikistan. According to some reports, in 2024, the Tajik authorities banned them from operating on the country’s territory, and most of them left the country.

Experts believe that Dushanbe’s new approach towards the Taliban has emerged as a result of pressure from Moscow, as well as the weakening of the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan, which opposes the Taliban government.

Since the Taliban came to power in 2021, Tajikistan has not maintained official diplomatic relations with Afghanistan, and the Afghan embassy in Dushanbe is still managed by diplomats from the ousted government.

Experts suggest that the official invitation to the Taliban in Dushanbe and the meeting with high-ranking Tajik officials indicate that Tajikistan, like other neighbors of Afghanistan, is trying to develop a policy of “contact without recognition.”

This approach, in their opinion, could alter the balance of power in northern Afghanistan and affect the positions of the National Resistance Front.