Russia has officially accepted the Taliban’s nomination of an ambassador to Moscow, the Afghan foreign ministry said in a statement on Sunday, as economic and political ties grow between the two sanctions-hit nations.

Axar.az informs, citing Reuters, Russia in April suspended its ban on the Taliban, which it had designated for more than two decades as a terrorist organization, in a move that paved the way for Moscow to normalize ties with the leadership of Afghanistan.

No country has formally recognized the Taliban’s government, which took over the country in 2021 as US-led forces withdrew.

“We hope this new phase will allow both countries to expand cooperation in various fields,” said Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban’s acting foreign minister, in a statement.

China in 2023 became the first country to accept a diplomat at ambassador level from the Taliban and several countries have since followed, including Pakistan which announced it would upgrade the position this week. Diplomats say formally presenting ambassadorial credentials to a foreign head of state signals a step towards recognition.