Afghanistan‘s Taliban leaders held a meeting with Iranian
officials as they look for ways to boost trade relations and in turn filling the
country’s cash-starved treasury to avoid an economic collapse, while the group
also grapples with the presence of the Islamic State cells in the country.

The Taliban met with a delegation from neighbouring Iran to
regulate trade between the countries, Taliban spokesman Bilal Karimi said on
Tuesday. Both sides agreed to increase trading hours at the Islam Qala border
crossing from eight hours per day to 24, better regulate the collection of
tariffs and improve road works. Customs are a key source of the domestic revenue
for Afghanistan.

The United Kingdom separately sent two envoys to meet with
top Taliban officials on Tuesday, the UK prime minister’s spokesperson said. No
additional details were provided, according to a report by the Associated Press.

Afghanistan has been an aid-dependent country and is
currently facing a liquidity crisis as assets remain frozen in the US and
disbursements from international organizations that once accounted for 75% of
state spending have stopped.

Taliban announced on Tuesday that they have arrested 11
members of the Islamic State group, a rival and bitter enemy of the insurgents,
in Kabul. The IS affiliate — based in eastern Nangarhar province — has claimed
responsibility for a spate of recent attacks targeting Taliban forces in
eastern Afghanistan and elsewhere.

Karimi posted on Twitter that the raid was carried out
Sunday night in the Afghan capital’s Fifth Police District. He provided no
further details. The raid came just hours after a bombing that targeted the Eid
Gah Mosque in Kabul, killing at least five people.

IS claimed responsibility for the mosque attack late Monday,
saying in a posting by its Amaq news agency that one of its suicide bombers
targeted senior Taliban figures following a mourning service.

Sunday’s bombing was the deadliest attack in Kabul since the
Taliban took control of Afghanistan with the chaotic departure of the last US troops on August 31. IS had also claimed responsibility for the horrific bombing
on August 26 that killed more than 169 Afghans and 13 US military personnel
outside the Kabul airport, where thousands of people were trying to reach the
airport to escape Taliban rule.

The world has been watching whether the Taliban will live up
to their initial promises of tolerance and inclusiveness toward women and
ethnic minorities. However, Taliban actions so far, such as renewed
restrictions on women and the appointment of an all-male government, have been met
with dismay by the international community.

(With AP inputs)