During the recent Iran-Israel conflict, many expected Afghanistan's Taliban regime—which rules a Muslim-majority country and shares a 921 km border with Iran—to speak up or act in solidarity with Tehran. But to the surprise of many, the Taliban chose silence, distancing itself from the situation entirely.

Now, that calculated silence has backfired, with the United States delivering a financial blow to the Taliban administration—despite their apparent attempts to stay in Washington’s good books.

Taliban's Silence on Iran

• No official statement of support for Iran came from the Taliban during the 12-day war with Israel and the US.

• Behind the scenes, Iran reportedly sought asylum for some of its military officers inside Afghanistan, but the Taliban rejected or ignored the request.

• The Taliban also disclosed Tehran’s confidential outreach, revealing Iran’s desperate position—an act seen as betrayal by many in the region.

Observers believe the Taliban was trying to show the US that it could be a “responsible actor” by not supporting Iran, a long-standing adversary of Washington.

America’s Shock to the Taliban

Despite the Taliban’s calculated neutrality, the US Congress has passed a resolution to cut all funding to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.

Key Details:

• $2 billion in aid was sent from the US to Afghanistan between August 2021 and January 2024, largely for humanitarian and infrastructure work.

• The US regularly sent around $40 million per week in cash to Afghan banks, even after the Taliban takeover.

• Now, this aid will be completely stopped—a huge economic and symbolic setback to the Taliban.

According to Newsweek, this decision was formalized as the war ended—ironically just after the Taliban tried to avoid offending Washington.

Why This Matters

1. The Taliban miscalculated: In trying to remain neutral and possibly curry favor with the West, it abandoned a regional ally and still got punished.

2. Economic pressure mounts: Afghanistan under Taliban rule is already struggling with:

   • Rampant inflation

   • Widespread poverty

   • A refugee crisis

   • No formal diplomatic recognition
     The loss of US aid only worsens these challenges.

3. Diplomatic isolation deepens: Neither Iran nor the US sees the Taliban as a reliable partner. This dual rejection pushes Kabul further into isolation, undermining whatever global credibility the Taliban sought to build.