Washington Warns US Companies Over Dealing With Taliban-Ruled Afghanistan
by Abdul Hamid Hakimi · Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty · JoinThe US State Department has urged American companies to exercise extreme caution when considering business transactions with Taliban-ruled Afghanistan after a former US official attended the signing of a deal between a Saudi energy group and the hard-line authorities.
A US State Department spokesperson, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the warning to RFE/RL, adding that private companies interested in doing business in Afghanistan should ensure their transactions comply with applicable US laws and regulations as the Taliban is on the list of Designated Global Terrorist Groups (SDGT).
SEE ALSO:
Washington Distances Itself From Former Envoy's Taliban Meetings Ahead Of 9/11 Anniversary
The warning comes after a visit to Afghanistan earlier this week by Zalmay Khalilzad, who was US special envoy to Afghanistan from 2018 to 2021. Khalilzad was in Kabul on September 7 for the signing of a Saudi oil and gas deal and he also met with the Taliban's foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi.
The trip, which came on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks, raised eyebrows as the United States does not recognize the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan.
Washington has distanced itself from Khalilzad's trip, with a State Department spokesman telling RFE/RL that "Khalilzad is not a US government employee. As such, he does not represent the United States government."
According to the US Treasury Department, US citizens and companies generally do not have the right to engage in any transactions, payments, contracts, services, or financial cooperation with individuals and entities on this list.
Treasury added that non-US individuals and companies that conduct certain transactions with these groups may themselves be subject to US sanctions and civil or criminal penalties.
The Taliban's Mines and Petroleum Ministry, which signed the initial $200 million contract with the Saudi company Delta International Energy, says it includes the Kashk-Tirpol oil field located between Herat and Badghis in western Afghanistan.
According to the ministry, the deal covers oil and gas exploration across some 23,000 square kilometers of territory of the oil field in western Afghanistan, including a proposed 700-kilometer gas pipeline.
SEE ALSO:
25 Years After 9/11, Could Afghanistan Again Become A Launchpad For Global Terror?
Delta International Energy is a Saudi company that invests and engages in business in the Middle East and other markets.
The Taliban, which retook power in 2021, is considered one of the most repressive regimes in the world. The international community has blacklisted Taliban leaders and cut off the group from the global financial system.
In recent months it has sought to reverse its isolation, seeking both foreign investment and international legitimacy.
Russia is the only country that has formally recognized the Taliban as Afghanistan's legitimate government.
Several countries -- including China, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan -- maintain diplomatic, trade, and economic ties with the Taliban without officially recognizing its government.
In June, Taliban officials for the first time held talks in Brussels on the repatriation of Afghans despite sharp criticism from rights groups that said the European Union was legitimizing the hard-line group, which has been accused of severely curtailing the basic rights of Afghans, especially of women.
Washington Warns US Companies Over Dealing With Taliban-Ruled Afghanistan
Share
Share
Follow us