The exempted individuals include the Deputy Prime Minister for Political Affairs, the acting Minister of Interior, the Director-General of Intelligence, and the acting Minister of Hajj and Religious Affairs.

The UN Security Council’s Sanctions Committee approved the travel ban exemption on June 5, 2024. The purpose of their visit to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, is to perform Hajj. This move comes after the US State Department emphasized that countries should host sanctioned members of the Islamic Emirate through the United Nations exemption process.

Despite the ongoing sanctions, the Islamic Emirate continues to advocate for the removal of its officials from the blacklist maintained by the United Nations, the European Union, and the United States. However, no significant progress has been made in this regard over the past two and a half years. (ILKHA)