The Afghan ambassador in Washington has stepped down from her post, a senior official at the embassy said, calling the new restrictions imposed by the US Department of State on the embassy the reason for her resignation. 

Afghan deputy ambassador Abdul Hadi Nijrabi told TOLOnews that the US State Department had decided to stop political and diplomatic activities of Afghanistan in the US. 

He said the State Department in a letter to the Afghanistan embassy in Washington said the diplomatic activities would be halted, but the letter seen by TOLOnews said some activity could continue.

“The letter sent by the US State Department to the embassy said only the ambassador is allowed to continue work from home, but not on political and diplomatic activities. The rest of the diplomats cannot work anymore,” he said. 

However, a copy of the letter seen by TOLOnews does not say the diplomatic activities of the Afghan embassy will be stopped, but that the mission will continue in a reduced form.

The letter says that the embassy and consular facilities will cease operations at a predetermined date, after which the Afghan mission to the US will continue in a reduced form, limited to its head of mission and her residence.

The letter does say that with the exception of the ambassador, the assignments of all other officials of the embassy will be terminated at a predetermined date.

Former diplomats and political analysts believe that the end of Afghanistan's diplomatic missions abroad will marginalize the current Afghan government around the world.

“The closing of the Afghan embassies will create a distance between the Afghan government and the world. This will create a big problem for the new government which will play a negative role in their recognition,” said Noorullah Raghi, former diplomat. 

Adela Raz is the third senior Afghan diplomat who stepped down from her position within the past six months. Previously, the Afghan ambassadors in China and Turkmenistan resigned from their positions. 

With the fall of the former government, the Afghanistan diplomatic missions have been facing economic problems. 

Officials at the Afghanistan embassy in Washington said that the financial system of the embassy has been suspended by a bank for over four months. 

“It has been over four months that the salaries of the Afghanistan embassy’s (staff) have been suspended. All diplomats are facing problems,” said Safi Delawar, who worked as an adviser for the Afghanistan embassy in Washington.

The Afghanistan embassies in Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Italy, Poland and Iran are said to be facing similar economic challenges.  

The Afghanistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) welcomed the closing of those embassies that are not in contact with the current Afghan government. 

“The Afghanistan diplomatic missions being closed in many countries is a good act because they don’t cooperate with the current government and are trying to misuse their authority,” said Waliullah Shaheen, head of the Center for Strategic Studies at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.