The State Department said in an official letter to the Afghan embassy in Washington that it is “impossible” for the embassy to remain operational due to “economic difficulties”.
A source at the Afghan embassy shared with the BBC Pashto a copy of the State Department’s letter, as well as the Afghan embassy’s official response to the letter.
According to the letter, the State Department has decided to close the Afghan embassy in Washington, as well as the Afghan consulate in New York and Los Angeles.
The US government has suggested that Adela Raz, Afghanistan’s ambassador to Washington, be allowed to continue her mission on her own, but that other diplomatic staff will step down.
But the Afghan embassy’s reply letter states that Ms. Raz does not want to continue her work alone, and will resign along with her staff.
The State Department said in a letter that a local bank, Citibank, had frozen the Afghan embassy’s financial accounts, and that it is not expected to receive funding for the operation of Afghan diplomatic missions.
“Once the Afghan embassy and consulate is closed, the State Department will take over and protect the embassy and consulate buildings, eight archives and other assets,” the State Department said.
The ministry also said that control of the frozen accounts of the Afghan embassy in Citibank would be handed over to the US government.
Afghan diplomats based in the United States will also be given an additional 30 days of diplomatic immunity, “after which they must determine their own destiny.”
