Russia the first to officially recognize Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan

Taliban members on the balcony of the Afghan embassy in Moscow. Photo: BBC News Russian Service

On July 3, 2025, the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, made the decision to formally recognize the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. The Taliban's authority in Afghanistan has not yet been officially recognized by any other country in the world. This was reported by the TASS news agency.

The President of Russia decided to recognize the so-called Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan on the recommendation of Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. This name was introduced by the Taliban movement after seizing power in the country in 2021 and proclaiming a new state structure.

Soon after the announcement of Russia's recognition of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, employees of the Afghan embassy in Moscow went out onto the building's balcony and raised the flag of this regime. It is also reported that Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Andrey Rudenko officially accepted copies of the credentials from the new ambassador of the Taliban movement in Russia – Gul Hassan Hassan.

The Russian Foreign Ministry is confident that the official recognition of the Taliban government "will give impetus to the development of bilateral cooperation". At the moment, no other country in the world has recognized the regime operating in Kabul as legitimate.

Earlier, the UOJ wrote that in the Russian Federation, half of the migrants place Sharia above state laws.

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