Taliban's $1 trillion worth of mineral resourcesAccording to geological surveys carried out by the US and the former Western-backed Afghan government, Afghanistan is estimated to possess at least $1 trillion worth of mineral resources.
The country’s mineral wealth includes copper, iron ore, niobium, cobalt, gold and lithium, muuch of which remains undeveloped after decades of conflict.
Foreign diplomats in Kabul told the FT that potential US investors would have to navigate UN and Western sanctions targeting senior Taliban officials, including Muttaqi.
Kabul presses US to release frozen Afghan assetsThe Taliban hopes that increased diplomatic engagement will eventually lead to the removal of sanctions and the release of Afghan reserves frozen overseas.
“All military and civilian facilities in Afghanistan, including Bagram, are national assets of Afghanistan,” Muttaqi said.
Kabul urged Washington to lift sanctions and release billions of dollars in frozen Afghan assets as it seeks greater US investment in mining, infrastructure and other sectors
In an attempt to improve ties with the US, Taliban-led Afghanistan government has offered American investors access to the country's vast mineral wealth while urging Washington to lift sanctions and release billions of dollars in frozen Afghan assets.
The Taliban's overture comes five years after they returned to power following the withdrawal of US-led Nato forces from Afghanistan.
Previously, US President Donald Trump had described the withdrawal and the subsequent collapse of the US-backed Afghan government as "the most embarrassing thing in the history of our country"
According to a Financial Times report, Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said that Afghanistan was “absolutely” open to US investment across several sectors, including mining, infrastructure, agriculture and trade.
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“Relations between Afghanistan and the United States should not be assessed through the lens of the past 20 years of war, but rather on the basis of future co-operation,” FT quoted Muttaqi as saying at his office in Kabul, adding that Afghanistan’s economic policy was open.
Taliban's $1 trillion worth of mineral resources
According to geological surveys carried out by the US and the former Western-backed Afghan government, Afghanistan is estimated to possess at least $1 trillion worth of mineral resources.
The country’s mineral wealth includes copper, iron ore, niobium, cobalt, gold and lithium, muuch of which remains undeveloped after decades of conflict.
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Since taking control of Afghanistan, the Taliban has attempted to attract foreign investment and develop the country’s natural resources.
The Taliban has announced more than $7 billion in mining investments since 2021 involving countries including China and Iran, reported FT, adding the projects cover resources such as gold, gemstones and chromite.
Afghanistan one of world's poorest countries
Despite some improvement in security situation after the withdrawal of Nato-led forces, Afghanistan remains one of the world’s poorest countries.
According to FT, more than 14 million people, roughly one-third of the population, are facing acute hunger.
The Taliban’s restrictions on women and girls have also remained a major obstacle to international engagement. The group has imposed sweeping restrictions on women’s access to education, employment and public life, drawing widespread international condemnation.
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Last year, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant against Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada over alleged gender-based persecution.
Foreign diplomats in Kabul told the FT that potential US investors would have to navigate UN and Western sanctions targeting senior Taliban officials, including Muttaqi.
They also warned that increased financial flows could strengthen the Taliban government and reduce international leverage over its policies.
Despite these concerns, the Taliban has expanded its diplomatic outreach in recent years.
China, India, Iran, Qatar and several Central Asian countries have opened channels with Kabul or hosted Taliban officials.
Russia formally recognised the Taliban government last year and signed a military co-operation agreement with Afghanistan in May.
The European Union also hosted Taliban officials in Brussels in June for discussions on possible migrant returns. It was the bloc’s first such meeting with Taliban representatives since the group returned to power in 2021. Germany has also proposed similar talks.
Kabul presses US to release frozen Afghan assets
The Taliban hopes that increased diplomatic engagement will eventually lead to the removal of sanctions and the release of Afghan reserves frozen overseas.
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Muttaqi told the FT that sanctions “did not achieve their intended objectives” and argued that Afghan assets should not be used as a political instrument.
“No individual, government or institution should use the assets of the Afghan people as a tool of political pressure,” he was quoted as saying.
Afghanistan’s central bank estimates that around $9.5 billion of its reserves remain outside the country, including approximately $7 billion held in the US.
In 2022, Washington transferred $3.5 billion into the Switzerland-based Afghan Fund, which was established to support Afghanistan’s financial stability without giving the Taliban direct access to the money.
The fund has since grown to more than $4 billion with interest, reported FT.
Trump wants Bagram air base under US control
Trump has shown limited interest in closer relations with the Taliban and has instead proposed bringing Bagram air base, located north of Kabul, back under US control.
However, the Taliban has rejected the proposal.
“All military and civilian facilities in Afghanistan, including Bagram, are national assets of Afghanistan,” Muttaqi said.
At the same time, he called on Washington to reopen its embassy in Kabul, which was abandoned following the Taliban takeover in 2021.
With inputs from agencies
