The ambassador of Afghanistan’s former government in the United Kingdom, Zalmai Rassoul, said that the recent decision by the Islamic Emirate’s foreign ministry will not affect the embassy as they heavily depend on the paperwork they do for the 250,000 Afghans in the country.

On July 30th, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate announced that they will no longer approve the paperwork processed by embassies not complying with the ministry.

In his recent interview with The Sunday Times, Zalmai Rassoul said: “I am stuck here, actually, I would like to be free but to who would I leave the embassy?”

The 81-year-old ambassador, who has also worked as national security advisor and Foreign Minister in Afghanistan, said he still attends some receptions but many countries like India and Turkiye have dropped him from their list.

Zalmai Rassoul said that only four diplomats are working with him with reduced salaries along with the six local employees.

Regarding the host country’s stance about the destiny of the Afghan embassy, Zalmai Rassoul said that the new government in London has assured him he will remain but someone from Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government has yet to visit him.

Although no country has recognized the caretaker government in Kabul, the Islamic Emirate has said that they have diplomatic representatives in 38 countries of the world.

China is the only country in the world whose president has officially accepted the credentials of the ambassador of the Islamic Emirate.