India, Pakistan, Iran Step Up Engagement as Taliban Courts Regional Recognition

Afghanistan’s acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi has had an unusually busy calendar in recent weeks. He has hosted his counterpart from Pakistan, spoken on the phone with India’s foreign minister, and flown to Iran and China.In Beijing, he met the Pakistani foreign minister again and also joined trilateral talks with delegations from Pakistan and China. Analysts say that despite not being formally recognised by any nation, these moves show many want Taliban as a partner. Notably, Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban regime has historically had tense relations with most of these countries. n18oc_world n18oc_crux0:00 INTRODUCTION2:44 WHY IS INDIA WOOING TALIBAN?4:36 PAKISTAN-TALIBAN TIES6:58 WHAT DOES IRAN WANT TO GAIN FROM ITS TIES WITH TALIBAN?8:52 TALIBAN PRAISES “RATIONAL APPROACH” OF REGIONAL COUNTRIES