Tehran summons Afghan envoy for 'disrespecting' anthem

Iran summoned the acting head of Afghanistan's embassy after saying a visiting Afghan official disrespected the country's national anthem by not standing, days after a similar incident in Pakistan.

Following the incident at a conference in Tehran on Islamic unity, the Afghan delegate apologised, but said this was because music in public is banned by the Taliban.

An Iranian foreign ministry statement said a "strong protest" had been lodged after his "unconventional and unacceptable action".

It accused Kabul's representative to the Islamic Unity Conference of "disrespecting the national anthem of the Islamic Republic".

The foreign ministry "condemned this action, which went against diplomatic custom".

Afghanistan's representative remained seated when Iran's national anthem was played, mirroring a similar event involving Afghan officials in Pakistan.

"Apart from the obvious necessity of the guest respecting the symbols of the host country, paying respect to the national anthem of countries is internationally recognised behaviour," Iran's statement added.

Islamabad on Tuesday summoned the Afghan charge d'affaires over "disrespect for the national anthem" by Afghanistan's acting consul general and another official at an event in Peshawar on Monday, Pakistani officials said.

Pakistani media quoted a spokesman for Afghanistan's consulate as saying the officials did not stand because of the music, and that no disrespect was meant.

"Because the anthem had music, the consul general and an official did not stand. We have banned our national anthem because of the music," the Afghan spokesman was quoted as saying.

On Friday the Afghan official in Tehran for the conference posted a video apology, saying he meant no disrespect but that sitting during anthems is their custom.

Shiite-majority Iran shares a 900-kilometre (550-mile) border with Afghanistan, but has not officially recognised Taliban's government since it came to power in August 2021 after US forces withdrew.

Meanwhile, 

Azizurrahman Mansour, the Taliban’s Deputy Minister of Hajj and Religious Affairs, has apologized for not standing during Iran’s national anthem at a recent high-level conference, justifying his actions to Afghanistan’s “tradition.”

In a video message, Mansour stated that he did not intend any disrespect toward Iran, which he described as a “friend” of the Taliban-led Afghanistan.

“I was sitting based on our custom. In our country, when we recite the [Islamic] carol, we remain seated. I acted accordingly. God forbid, I never intended to offend Iran,” he said.

Mansour’s failure to stand during the anthem sparked outrage among Iranian officials, prompting Iran’s Foreign Ministry to summon the Taliban chargé d’affaires in Tehran to lodge a formal protest.

Hassan Kazemi Qomi, Iran’s special envoy and ambassador to Afghanistan, condemned the action as “meaningless,” rejecting Mansour’s explanation. “Failing to respect diplomatic norms under the pretext of Sharia law’s prohibition of music makes no sense,” Qomi tweeted, adding that if music were truly forbidden, then listening to it should also be avoided.

This incident follows a similar diplomatic misstep by a Taliban diplomat in Peshawar, Pakistan, where a similar failure to observe protocol during the national anthem prompted a strong reaction from Pakistani officials. On Tuesday, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, criticized the act, stating that such “disrespect” for the host country’s anthem was unacceptable. “We are conveying our strong protest to Afghan authorities both in Islamabad and Kabul,” she said.

The events have highlighted growing diplomatic challenges for the Taliban government as it navigates relations with neighboring countries.