Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US Special Envoy for Afghan Reconciliation, has criticised recent comments made by the Taliban’s leader in which he denounced democracy and defended the group’s treatment of women.

In a post on his X account (formerly Twitter) on Friday, 13 June, Khalilzad responded to a sermon delivered by Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada during Eid prayers, in which Akhundzada rejected democratic governance and criticised Western nations.

“During the recent Eid sermon/prayer, the leader of the Taliban was very critical of democracy,” Khalilzad wrote. “And, of course, the Afghan people have the right to have their own form of government.”

Khalilzad, who played a key role in negotiating the US-Taliban agreement under the Trump administration, clarified that his remarks were not an endorsement of Afghanistan’s previous government. “This is not a defence of the lawlessness, corruption, and many other failures of the previous government,” he noted.

However, he added: “It is important to observe that many of the most successful, richest, and most powerful countries in the world are democracies.”

During his sermon, Akhundzada condemned the United States as an “oppressor” and accused both the US and Israel of committing human rights violations, particularly in relation to civilian casualties in Gaza. He further declared that no non-Muslim nation has suffered as much as Palestine.

In defence of the Taliban’s ongoing restrictions on women, including bans on education, employment, and freedom of movement, Akhundzada claimed the group had brought “modesty and honour” to Afghan women. His remarks drew swift criticism from international rights groups, who accuse the Taliban of severe gender-based repression.