Tehran Concerned Over Taliban-Washington Rapprochement: Potential US Return to Iran’s Eastern Borders

In recent days, numerous reports and analyses have appeared in Iranian media questioning the policy of engagement with the Taliban. An article titled 'The Price of Five Years of Trust in the Taliban' argues that the approach taken by Iran and Russia in recent years—viewing the Taliban as a stabilizing factor—was a mistake. Critics contend that this policy weakened local defensive capabilities and that current instability in Afghanistan now serves the interests of the United States. Political figure Hossein Kanaani has warned that the US could exploit Afghanistan's geography to contain Chinese influence and exert pressure on Iran. These concerns intensified following recent statements by Taliban officials, including in an interview with The New York Times, calling for the reopening of the US embassy in Kabul and for American companies to invest in Afghanistan. Analysts suggest Iran is now facing a strategic deadlock, as both inaction toward the Taliban and active confrontation could lead to the presence of regional rivals near Iran's borders.