Iran, China and Turkey rank as IEA’s top three diplomatic partners since 2021
Iran, China and Turkey have been the Islamic Emirate’s three most frequent diplomatic partners since IEA returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021, according to a new analysis by Aaron Y. Zelin, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
The analysis covers the IEA’s diplomatic engagements between August 15, 2021, and August 15, 2026. During this period, the IEA publicly announced 3,651 diplomatic engagements with 103 countries and entities.
Iran ranked first with 494 country-level engagements, followed by China with 432 and Turkey with 394. Qatar and Uzbekistan ranked fourth and fifth, with 347 and 316 engagements respectively.
None of these countries have formally recognized the IEA government.
Russia remains the only country to have formally recognized the Taliban government, doing so in July 2025. Turkey is among a broader group of countries, including Persian Gulf and Central Asian states, that have accepted Taliban-appointed diplomats without formally recognizing the government.
The analysis says the IEA has increasingly focused on strengthening existing relationships through consulates, joint commissions and trade councils, rather than establishing ties with new countries.
Meanwhile, Western diplomatic engagement has declined significantly, accounting for about 16 percent of IEA diplomatic activity in the first year after the takeover, compared with only 5 percent in the fifth year.
Zelin argues that the IEA has expanded its international relations without making major concessions on issues including restrictions on women and girls and security concerns.
