8am: The collapse of the Republic government and the reinstatement of the Taliban did not cause significant concern for the Islamic Republic of Iran, contrary to expectations. Despite the turmoil in Kabul, Iran maintained an open embassy and continued to issue visas from its consulates in major Afghan cities. On November 15, 2021, an Iranian delegation led by Ambassador Hassan Kazemi Qomi visited Kabul and held meetings with Taliban officials. This marked the first official visit of an Iranian delegation to Afghanistan since the Taliban took power. In return, on January 8, 2022, Mullah Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban Acting Foreign Minister, led a delegation of 26 members to Tehran, where they met with Iranian officials. This meeting was followed by negotiations between the Taliban delegation and Ahmad Massoud, the leader of the National Resistance Front (NRF). On August 15, 2022, Qomi made a rare statement claiming that the United States was organizing a group called the “Resistance Front,” which he deemed to be a falsehood. He further stated that their intention was to create internal chaos under the guise of resistance. Qomi’s remarks received significant attention and prompted him to later clarify his statements. Click here to reads more (external link).