Published on, Sept. 20 -- September 20, 2025 1:55 PM

KABUL - The Afghan Taliban have firmly rejected US President Donald Trump's idea of reclaiming Bagram Airbase through a possible deal. Senior Taliban official Zakir Jalali said Afghanistan will never accept any foreign military presence, referring to Trump as a businessman trying to negotiate rather than a politician acting on diplomacy.

In a statement posted on social media platform X, Jalali acknowledged the need for relations between Afghanistan and the United States. However, he stressed that any relationship must be based on mutual respect, without foreign troops on Afghan soil. He reiterated that Afghan history has always rejected foreign military occupation, including during th...