The United States immigration authorities have detained Rahim Pirzada, Afghanistan’s former ambassador to Spain, in Washington, D.C., reportedly on the grounds that he coordinated the operations of the Afghan Embassy with the Taliban following the group’s return to power in 2021.
According to reports by Politico and WLT, Pirzada was taken into custody by U.S. immigration authorities on March 30, 2025. A federal court ruling issued in May 2025 determined that the Afghan Embassy in Spain, under his leadership, had cooperated with the Taliban, an action deemed to constitute “material support” for the group.
Reports indicate that his attorney filed a request for his release in April of this year; however, the court has not yet scheduled a hearing date for the case.
Separately, European media outlets reported that in 2022, an Afghan woman residing in Germany accused Pirzada of sexual assault, alleging that she had been drugged and subsequently subjected to abuse. Following these allegations, the Spanish government terminated his diplomatic assignment and ordered him to leave the country.
Pirzada later traveled to the United States, where he was questioned by immigration authorities upon arrival at the airport. During the investigation, he denied the sexual assault allegations, describing them as an attempt to damage his reputation and standing.
The reports further state that investigators discovered a screenshot of deleted messages on his mobile phone, which allegedly contained a warning related to a particular incident.
Pirzada has maintained that he does not know the woman who made the accusations and has categorically denied all allegations against him.
Writer:Saeed Sameer
