Afghanistan is offering the US access to its mineral resources in a bid to secure relief from sanctions and release of frozen assets. Taliban foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi stated the country would welcome US investments in mining, infrastructure, agriculture, and trade, emphasizing future cooperation over past conflict. The country holds an estimated $1tn in mineral resources, including copper, iron ore, niobium, cobalt, gold, and lithium, largely untapped due to decades of war. Since 2021, the Taliban has announced over $7bn in mining investments with China and Iran.

Despite diplomatic overtures, Afghanistan remains one of the world's poorest nations, with over 14 million people facing acute hunger. The Taliban's severe interpretation of sharia law has restricted women's rights, leading to an ICC arrest warrant for leader Hibatullah Akhundzada. UN experts warn against normalizing relations without human rights progress. While Western sanctions persist, countries like China, India, Iran, Qatar, and Russia have engaged with the Taliban. The EU hosted Taliban officials in June to discuss migrant returns.