Afghan acting FM asks U.S. to lift sanctions: gov't spokesman

KABUL, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- Afghan Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi told U.S. officials at a meeting held in Doha that the U.S. sanctions against Afghanistan should be removed, the local Tolonews TV reported.

The Afghan media quoted the caretaker government's spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid as saying on Monday evening that Muttaqi also urged the U.S. side not to create obstacles to the economic development of Afghanistan.

Abdul Qahar Balkhi, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said on Twitter Monday that the Afghan delegation was led by Muttaqi and comprised representatives from the country's central bank Da Afghanistan Bank, the Ministry of Finance, as well as officials from the Afghan embassy in Doha.

The Afghan delegation left Kabul on Saturday for Qatar to meet with U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Thomas West.

Following the abrupt withdrawal of U.S.-led forces in August 2021, Washington has imposed sanctions on the impoverished country, seizing Afghan assets and compounding the poverty brought by 20 years of foreign occupation.