Any return of U.S. military forces to Afghanistan is categorically impossible, declared Zakir Jalali, spokesperson for the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and advisor to its head, RIA Novosti reports.
Responding to recent statements by U.S. President Donald Trump calling for the reestablishment of Bagram Air Base, Jalali emphasized: “The people of Afghanistan have never accepted foreign military presence — a principle explicitly enshrined in the Doha Agreement.”
“Afghanistan and the United States can maintain political and economic relations based on mutual respect and shared interests — without any U.S. military base on Afghan soil,” Jalali stated, as quoted by Afghan news outlet Tolo News on its Telegram channel.
Trump, the day before, had claimed Washington is actively seeking to regain control of Bagram Air Base, citing its “strategic location near China” as a key rationale.
This follows an earlier, unequivocal statement by Afghan Army Chief of General Staff Fasihuddin Fitrat, who declared that Kabul will not negotiate with any country — including the United States — regarding Bagram Air Base. He stressed that the presence of even a single foreign soldier on Afghan territory is “unacceptable to the Islamic Emirate,” and that Kabul will not enter into any deal with the U.S. or any other nation on the matter.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
Sept. 19, 2025