KABUL, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) -- The Afghan government has firmly rejected recent U.S. calls to reclaim Bagram Air Base, reaffirming its unwavering commitment to national sovereignty and urging Washington to honor the 2020 Doha Agreement's pledge against military interference, said a statement issued on Sunday.
"In accordance with Islamic principles and grounded in its balanced, economy-oriented foreign policy, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan seeks constructive relations with all states based on mutual and shared interests," deputy spokesman of the administration, Hamdullah Fitrat, posted the statement on his X account.
However, the statement highlighted that Afghanistan's independence and territorial integrity remain paramount in all bilateral engagements, particularly with the United States. "It should be recalled that, under the Doha Agreement, the United States pledged that 'it will not use or threaten force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Afghanistan, nor interfere in its internal affairs.'"
The Afghan government is calling for Washington to uphold these commitments.
The response follows U.S. President Donald Trump's statements in London on Thursday, where he expressed intent to "retake" Bagram Air Base.
Afghan officials swiftly condemned the remarks. Mullah Tajmir Jawad, first deputy of the General Directorate of Intelligence, responded to calls for the United States to retake the strategic airfield by saying the Afghan government would preserve the current system.
The Bagram Air Base, located about 50 km north of Kabul, served as the epicenter of U.S. and NATO operations during the two-decade war.■
