The US State Department explicitly rejected the Taliban’s August 2026 overture for American investment in Afghanistan’s estimated $1 trillion in mineral resources, including lithium, copper, cobalt, and rare earths, citing sanctions on the group and concerns over strengthening its position. No bilateral agreement or formal negotiations have advanced since the pitch by Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. The Trump administration has instead pursued critical minerals frameworks with recognized partners such as Uzbekistan, Armenia, Pakistan, and Ecuador through mechanisms like the DFC and recent summits. Persistent US non-recognition of the Taliban, existing sanctions, and procedural barriers to engagement with a designated terrorist organization continue to limit prospects for any signed mineral deal by the end of 2026.