"'Ghaani has a history of ties in Afghanistan dating back to the 1980s when he helped arm and support Shiite communities there on behalf of Iran,' said Josh Lipowsky, senior research analyst at the Counter Extremism Project (C.E.P.). 'Ghaani's influence has continued, as evidenced by a secretive 2018 meeting he had with the governor of Afghanistan's Bamiyan Province. Ghaani allegedly introduced himself at the time as Iran's deputy ambassador to Afghanistan.'

In late January this year, U.S. Marine General Frank McKenzie also warned of an increasing trend of Iranian interference on behalf of the Taliban in Afghanistan.

'For years, Iran has sought to increase its influence with the Taliban in order to weaken the United States globally,' Lipowsky asserted. 'While the Taliban are not ideologically aligned with Iran and not as loyal as Hezbollah or the Iraqi militias, they will owe Iran for its support.'"