Moscow: The foreign minister of Afghanistan's interim administration departed for Russia to attend the Moscow Format talks for the first time. Amir Khan Muttaqi's visit to Russia comes at the official invitation of the Russian Federation, as announced by interim Foreign Ministry spokesman Hafiz Zia Ahmad on the US social media platform X.

According to Anadolu Agency, Muttaqi will engage in discussions with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the seventh meeting of the Moscow Format of Consultations on Afghanistan. The focus of these talks will be on bilateral cooperation and regional stability. The wider Moscow meeting, chaired by Lavrov, will involve representatives from Afghanistan, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, with Belarus participating as a guest.

The discussions are set to address Afghan national reconciliation, counterterrorism efforts, and economic cooperation, with a joint statement anticipated following the session. The Taliban's return to power in August 2021 marked a significant shift after the withdrawal of US-led forces concluded a two-decade-long conflict in the region.

In a notable development in July, Russia became the first country to officially recognize the Taliban administration as the legitimate government of Afghanistan.