Khalilzad's Afghan Visit Fuels Speculation Over US Ties to Taliban

Zalmay Khalilzad, former US ambassador to Afghanistan and special representative for Afghan reconciliation under Presidents Donald Trump and Joe Biden, visited Kabul in September. He met with Taliban officials, including Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund and Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.

Khalilzad's visit came after the Financial Times reported on the Taliban's overtures to the Trump administration, including an offer of access to Afghanistan's vast mineral resources. The US State Department stated that Khalilzad was not acting as a representative of the United States and that his activities were 'carried out in a personal capacity.'

Khalilzad attended a signing ceremony between Saudi private energy firm Delta International and the Taliban's Ministry of Mines and Petroleum on September 7. The agreement involves Delta International investing $200 million during an initial exploration and extraction phase in the Kushk-Tirpul oil basin, covering approximately 22,000 square kilometers.

The deal is seen as a positive development for Afghanistan's economy, but similar projects have faltered in the past. In 2025, the Taliban canceled a contract with Chinese company Xinjiang Central Asia Petroleum and Gas to invest $540 million in the Amu Darya oil fields.