The preliminary preparations for the intra-Afghan talks are taking shape in Qatar, aiming to set the stage for the official negotiations that were called for in the US-Taliban agreement signed at the beginning of the year.

Taliban militants will not take part in intra-Afghan talks until the Afghan government releases about 5,000 of their prisoners, a spokesman said on Monday, presenting a major possible barrier to ending the war.

Taliban's reduction of violence 'would facilitate meaningful negotiations on Afghanistan’s future,' says US president

Russia has an interest in Iran joining the Russia-China-US format for Afghanistan talks, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Friday.

Washington is disappointed over the indefinite postponement of Afghan talks with the Taliban, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated during phone talk with Afghanistan's President  Ashraf Ghani, Daily Mail reported quoting AP.