The Taliban have appointed Mullah Gul Hassan as Afghanistan's ambassador to Russia, marking the first top envoy from the Islamist group to Moscow since their takeover in 2021. Gul Hassan officially began his diplomatic duties at the Afghan Embassy in Moscow on July 3, 2025. On the same day, Russia formally recognized the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko accepting Gul Hassan's credentials and Russian Ambassador Dmitry Zhirnov notifying Acting Afghan Foreign Minister Mullah Amir Khan Muttaqi of the recognition. Additionally, the Taliban's ambassador to Turkey, Saniullah Farahmand, presented his credentials to the Turkish Foreign Ministry. In a related development, Taliban Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Abdul Ghani Baradar met with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Khankendi, Azerbaijan, requesting facilitation for Afghan exports to Central Asia and Russia, signaling efforts to enhance regional trade ties.