Welcome to The Azadi Briefing, an RFE/RL newsletter that unpacks the key issues in Afghanistan. To subscribe for free, click here.
I'm Frud Bezhan, regional desk editor for Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Here's what I've been tracking and what I'm keeping an eye on in the days ahead.
The Key Issue
The Taliban has closed many of the Afghan offices of the Imam Khomeini Relief Committee, a prominent charity linked closely with the Iranian government, according to Iranian media reports.
Iran’s Jamaran news website said the charity’s offices in the cities of Kabul, Herat, and Mazar-e Sharif have been shut down and sealed by Taliban fighters in recent weeks.
The website -- which is close to the family of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic republic -- added that the Imam Khomeini Relief Committee was not given prior notice or offered any reasons for the closures.
Only the charity’s office in the Afghan city of Zaranj, near the Iranian border, is still believed to be operating. Both the charity and the Taliban have yet to comment on the reported shutdowns.
The charity, whose head is chosen by Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has a long history of operations in Afghanistan and was registered with the Taliban’s Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs.
Why It's Important: Iran has been suspected of using the Imam Khomeini Relief Committee and other state-backed charities to promote its conservative brand of Shi’a Islam around the world.
The charities spread anti-Western propaganda and are seen to be tied to Tehran's long-standing effort to export the Islamic Revolution. Many of the charities build schools and mosques and help the poor.
An extremist Sunni militant group, the Taliban has imposed increasing restrictions on Afghanistan’s Shi’ite minority, which makes up around 15 percent of the population. The Taliban has prevented Afghan Shi’a from marking important religious holidays and banned the teaching of Shi'a jurisprudence in universities in Afghanistan.
The closure of the offices of the Imam Khomeini Relief Committee is likely an attempt by the Taliban to curb Iran’s influence in Afghanistan. It also comes amid tensions between the Taliban and Iran over cross-border water resources. Following deadly border clashes in May, the Taliban and Tehran have traded threats and accusations.
What's Next: With tensions still high between the sides, the Taliban and Iran are likely to engage in tit-for-tat moves.
In recent months, the authorities in Iran have intensified the deportation of Afghan refugees and migrants and imposed more restrictions on Afghan nationals living in the Islamic republic.
In retaliation, the Taliban could target more Iranian organizations and activities in Afghanistan.
What To Keep An Eye On
The Taliban has shut down three local media outlets -- Hamisha Bahar Radio and Television, Radio Nan, and Radio Jawanan -- in the eastern province of Nangarhar.
Taliban fighters stormed the studios of Hamisha Bahar Radio and Television on July 31 after the media outlet provided journalism training for young Afghans, including girls, according to an employee who spoke to RFE/RL’s Radio Azadi on condition of anonymity.
The employee said Taliban fighters beat the reporters and sealed the studios of the station.
Why It's Important: Since seizing power in 2021, the Taliban has waged a brutal crackdown on independent reporters and media outlets.
The militants have beaten and jailed reporters and forcibly closed down scores of radio and TV stations as well as newspapers. In its attempts to crush dissent, the Taliban has also targeted human rights defenders, women activists, and intellectuals.
Cases of arbitrary arrests and detention, threats, and intimidation of journalists have sharply increased during the past year.
The Taliban has also severely restricted female education and banned co-education.
That's all from me for now. Don't forget to send me any questions, comments, or tips that you have. You can always reach us at azadi.english@rferl.org.
Until next time,
Frud Bezhan
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