SYDNEY: The Taliban regime has suffered another major diplomatic setback, as Australia has announced the closure of its Afghan embassy.
The Australian government has also clearly refused to recognise the Taliban regime as the legitimate representative of the Afghan people. According to Australian outlets SBS News and The National Tribune, Australia’s embassy in Kabul will cease its activities after June 2026. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it will not accept any representative appointed by the Taliban, including honorary consular staff.
Australian media reports indicate that the Refugee Council of Australia has said Afghan citizens fear obtaining documents from Taliban institutions. Experts believe that the decision to close the Afghan embassy is not merely an administrative step, but a clear sign of growing global distrust towards the Taliban regime. Experts say Afghanistan’s future lies in global isolation and economic paralysis, and that the Taliban’s extremism is deepening the crisis.
Since the Taliban returned to power, the number of Afghan embassy closures worldwide has continued to rise. Several countries have already stopped accepting Afghan refugees and have deported many, citing the Taliban’s extremism and authoritarian policies.
