In response to the Taliban’s proposal for US investment in Afghanistan’s mines, the US Department of State has described the Taliban as a “global terrorist group” and said Washington has no plans to engage with the group.
Voice of America reported on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, that a US Department of State spokesperson said Washington would not cooperate with the Taliban in developing Afghanistan’s mineral resources.
The US official said that investing in mines in Afghanistan under Taliban rule could contribute to the continuation of the group’s repressive conduct toward the people of Afghanistan.
Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban’s foreign minister, had said that the group welcomed US investment in Afghanistan’s mining, infrastructure, agriculture and trade sectors.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Muttaqi said that relations between the Taliban and the United States should not be assessed based on the previous 20 years of war and that both sides should focus on future cooperation.
According to surveys conducted during the republican government, the value of Afghanistan’s mineral resources was estimated at at least $1 trillion. Lithium, cobalt and niobium are among the country’s major mineral resources.
Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban spokesperson, on Wednesday once again stressed the importance of establishing good relations with Washington and said that Afghanistan needs diplomatic and economic relations with the United States.
