KABUL, October 11. / TASS /. The Taliban (banned in Russia) expressed hope that Russia would take part in the reconstruction of Afghanistan, which had been damaged as a result of hostilities over the past decades, Deputy Minister of Information and Culture Zabihullah Mujahid told TASS on Monday.

"We are looking forward to cooperation with all countries, and foreign investment plays a significant role here. Russia is an important country in terms of economy. Afghanistan has been destroyed during the war, Russia and other countries could help to restore it. We welcome such assistance and are hoping for financial support," Mujahid stated.

"We seek to establish relations with all countries. First of all, we are talking about diplomatic ties, without which further cooperation is simply impossible. We are negotiating with Russia, mainly on the recognition of our government and the resumption of the work of the embassies [of the two countries]. Resolving these issues will pave the way for further cooperation," the deputy minister noted.

On September 24, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia, like most countries all over the world, was closely monitoring the Taliban’s activity in Afghanistan as well as whether they stuck to their promises.

The Taliban embarked on a large-scale operation to take control of Afghanistan after the US had announced its intention to withdraw its forces in the spring.

On August 15, Taliban fighters swept into Kabul without encountering any resistance, with Afghanistan’s then President Ashraf Ghani subsequently fleeing the country. On September 7, the Taliban, which seized power in Afghanistan, announced the new interim government consisting only of the radical movement’s members, mainly the Pashtuns, the republic’s largest ethnic group. Hence, a lot of countries insisted that the new Cabinet was not inclusive, urging the Taliban to include the Afghan ethnic and religious minorities, as well as women, into the government.