# Taliban say they would welcome U.S. investment in Afghan minerals in return for economic ties

*Monday, August 31, 2026 at 6:15 AM UTC — Hamer Intelligence Services Desk*

**Published**: 2026-08-31T06:15:42.060Z (4h ago)
**Category**: geopolitics | **Region**: South Asia
**Importance**: 7/10
**Sources**: OSINT
**Permalink**: https://hamerintel.com/data/articles/16350.md
**Source**: https://hamerintel.com/summaries

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**Deck**: Afghanistan’s Taliban government is telling the Financial Times it would “absolutely” welcome U.S. investment in mining, infrastructure, agriculture and trade, arguing future U.S.–Afghan relations should rest on economics rather than conflict.

Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities are signalling they want to reframe relations with Washington around business rather than warfare, offering access to the country’s mineral wealth in return for closer economic engagement.

In an interview reported by the Financial Times, Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said Kabul would “absolutely” welcome U.S. investment in Afghanistan’s vast mineral resources. He added that the Taliban would also like U.S. involvement in infrastructure, agriculture, and trade, and argued that future ties between the two countries should be based on economic cooperation.

Afghanistan is widely believed to hold significant deposits of minerals used in modern industries, making it a potential resource prize despite its political isolation. Since returning to power, the Taliban have faced sanctions and financial restrictions from Western governments, limiting formal foreign investment and access to global banking.

By publicly inviting U.S. companies to invest, the Taliban are trying to position themselves as partners in resource development rather than merely subjects of sanctions. They also appear to be signalling that if Western states stay away, others will move in.

For Washington, the comments raise a question over whether and how to engage economically with a government that remains unrecognized and under sanctions. Any change in U.S. policy would depend on decisions in Washington about the balance between strategic competition over minerals and concerns about the Taliban’s rule.

Key signs to watch will be any formal U.S. response to the Taliban’s offer, moves by regional or global companies to sign new resource or infrastructure deals in Afghanistan, and indications of whether sanctions or asset freezes are eased, tightened, or left unchanged.