How has Iran reacted to the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan?
It has welcomed the departure of U.S. forces and pledged to work with the Taliban government. New Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said, “America’s military defeat must become an opportunity to restore life, security, and durable peace in Afghanistan.”
But the collapse of the Afghan government came at a time when the Iranian political system was in transition, with Raisi in the process of taking over the presidency. Thus, most of the domestic attention has been focused on cabinet selection and the confirmation process for ministers. Surging COVID-19 infections in Iran have also overshadowed the situation in Afghanistan.
