Challenges and Opportunities in Iran's Foreign Policy Towards Afghanistan (Case Study: Taliban Regime)

The foreign policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran and its relations with Afghanistan, Iran's neighbor, are important both geopolitically and in terms of politics, also economics, and culture. Based on this, Afghanistan is a country that should be considered in Iran's foreign policy. Therefore, this study aims to examine the challenges and opportunities in Iran's foreign policy towards Afghanistan, especially considering the recent occurrences in this country. This article is a descriptive-analytical study. The research method and materials are qualitative, and also note-taking was used to gather information. The results show that among the challenges of Iran's foreign policy towards Afghanistan, we can mention insecurity and instability resulting from the Taliban's dominance, which causes events such as the increasing wave of Afghan migration, the presence of terrorist groups like ISIS, the need to manage relations with other regional leaders, and ethnic and religious issues. At the same time, there are opportunities such as the possibility of economic and commercial cooperation, playing a positive role in reducing tensions and peace processes, border management, expanding political influence, and strengthening regional cooperation. Therefore, to take advantage of these opportunities and address the challenges, Iran needs a comprehensive and balanced strategy in its foreign policy. In this regard, emphasis should be placed on important challenges such as the uncertain future of how the Taliban will deal with Afghan Shias and the tension over the hari rud River, as well as opportunities such as the Islamic Republic's cooperation with China and Russia in Afghanistan and economic relations with this country. Overall, it can be said that the history of relations between the Islamic Republic and Afghanistan can influence the foreign policies of both countries, considering the Taliban's regime in this country.