The foreign ministers of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Taliban discussed taking “joint action” against Israel in support of Hamas. The Taliban and Iran have cooperated in the past to oust the US from Afghanistan and overthrow the Afghan government.

Iranian Interim Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani and Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi called on the member states of the Islamic Cooperation Organization to exert pressure on Israel during a phone conversation between the two diplomats, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-affiliated outlet Mehr News reported on June 17. 

The Taliban had informed Tehran that it is prepared to deploy thousands of troops to fight against Israel, a senior reporter working with the Lebanese Hezbollah-run Al Akhbar Daily claimed in an interview on June 13. Iran has sought to facilitate a relationship between the Taliban and the Iranian regime’s proxies, including Hezbollah. 

A week prior, Tehran hosted various meetings between members of the Taliban and Hamas, in addition to other high-level gatherings during the funeral of former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in late May. Taliban Foreign Ministry Deputy Spokesperson Hafiz Zia Ahmad reported on the meetings between Hamas Chief Political Leader Ismail Haniyah and Taliban Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and Foreign Minister Mullah Abdul Ghani held in Tehran on May 23.