The US newspaper The National Interest, widely recognized for its authoritative analysis of international affairs, stated in a recent article that Washington should not delay recognizing Afghanistan’s current Taliban-led government, stressing that the country has now emerged as a pivotal hub for major regional transit and connectivity projects.
The article stated that the United States acted on a deeply flawed and misguided assessment of the Taliban, a miscalculation that ultimately led to its defeat by the Islamic Emirate in 2021, marking Washington’s second major strategic failure since the Vietnam War.
As a warning to Washington, The National Interest stated that the region is undergoing sweeping security and political transformations, citing the brief conflict between India and Pakistan in 2025, deteriorating relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan, escalating pressure on Iran over its nuclear program, and Central Asia’s entry into a period of accelerated economic growth.
The article stressed that US–Afghanistan relations over the past two decades were undermined by persistent misperceptions, including Washington’s repeated mistakes to equate the Taliban with ISIS. A CIA official has now confirmed that, since 2021, Afghanistan has not served as a base for anti-Western terrorism.
The newspaper reported that Afghanistan now possesses a pivotal position in major regional transit and economic projects. Among the most significant are the Afghan Trans-Transport Corridor, the Peshawar–Kabul–Termez railway, the Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan railway, and the Iran–Afghanistan–China strategic corridor, all recognized as transformative projects with the potential to reshape the region’s economic landscape.
The article also praised the Afghan government’s engagement with international companies and its extensive efforts to modernize roads and ports throughout the country.
In the same context, Russia’s recognition of the Afghan government was noted as a major development, while Kabul’s cancellation of a long-term oil contract on the Amu River with China was highlighted as an example of its efforts to pursue balanced and strategic foreign relations.
The National Interest further described the announcement by Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister, Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, regarding the entry of US–Afghanistan relations into a new phase as an important opportunity for Washington to rebuild ties.
The article also cited international political analysts who urged Donald Trump to adopt a proactive and decisive approach toward Afghanistan and to engage more deeply with the Afghan government on political matters.
