The Embassy of Afghanistan in London

Relations between Afghanistan and Britain are rooted in the nineteenth-century Anglo-Afghan conflicts and the strategic rivalry surrounding British India. The Third Anglo-Afghan War ended with the 1919 Treaty of Rawalpindi, after which Afghanistan gained control over its foreign relations; the 1921 Anglo-Afghan Treaty formally affirmed the internal and external independence of both states. Modern relations have included diplomacy, development cooperation and the long UK military presence in Afghanistan after 2001. Following the Taliban's return to power in 2021, the status of Afghan diplomatic missions abroad became contested. The Embassy of the former Islamic Republic in London closed in September 2024 after its staff were dismissed by the Taliban authorities, leaving the London mission temporarily closed.