Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi has firmly dismissed US President Donald Trump’s call to reclaim control of Bagram Air Base, insisting that “not even one metre of Afghan land will be given to the Americans.”
Muttaqi made the remarks during an interview, days after Trump claimed Washington was seeking to regain control of the base. Bagram, located just north of Kabul, remains under the control of the Taliban government following the withdrawal of US and allied forces from Afghanistan in 2021.
In a separate statement issued on Sunday, the Afghan government reiterated its commitment to a “balanced, economy-orientated foreign policy” rooted in Islamic principles and shared interests with all nations. The statement underlined that Afghanistan’s independence and territorial integrity are non-negotiable in any bilateral engagement, including with the United States.
“In accordance with Islamic principles and grounded in its balanced, economy-oriented foreign policy, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan seeks constructive relations with all states on the basis of mutual and shared interests,” the statement read.
“It has been consistently communicated to the United States in all bilateral negotiations that, for the Islamic Emirate, Afghanistan’s independence and territorial integrity are of the utmost importance,” it added.
The Islamic Emirate also pointed to the Doha Agreement, signed in February 2020 during Trump’s first tenure, which pledged that the United States would not use or threaten force against Afghanistan’s territorial integrity or interfere in its internal affairs.
Also Read : Trump threatens Afghanistan over Bagram Air Base
“It should be recalled that, under the Doha Agreement, the United States pledged that ‘it will not use or threaten force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Afghanistan, nor interfere in its internal affairs.’ Therefore, it is necessary that they remain faithful to their commitments,” the statement said. “Accordingly, it is once again underscored that, rather than repeating past failed approaches, a policy of realism and rationality should be adopted.”
Trump, during a recent visit to the United Kingdom, said, “We were going to leave Afghanistan, but we were going to leave it with strength and dignity, and we were going to keep Bagram, the big air base — one of the biggest air bases in the world.”
He has repeatedly criticised the US withdrawal from Bagram, calling it “the most embarrassing moment in the history of our country.” The former president has argued that the base holds strategic importance, situated close to the border between Afghanistan and China.
Earlier in the day, Trump issued a warning to Afghanistan on Truth Social, writing: “If Afghanistan doesn’t give Bagram Airbase back to those that built it, the United States of America, BAD THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN!!!”
Bagram Air Base, once the main hub of US military operations during its two-decade presence in Afghanistan, also housed a notorious prison where thousands were detained without charge or trial, with many subjected to abuse and torture.
Follow us
