The United States said on Friday that it has cancelled planned&nbsp;talks&nbsp;in Doha with the&nbsp;Taliban&nbsp;after&nbsp;the hardline Islamist rulers of Afghanistan shut&nbsp;girls' secondary&nbsp;schools.

"We have cancelled some of our engagements, including planned meetings in Doha around the Doha Forum, and have made clear that we see this decision as a potential turning point in our engagement," State Department deputy spokeswoman Jalina Porter said.

The&nbsp;Taliban, which seized power in August and is eager for international recognition, shut down&nbsp;girls' secondary&nbsp;schools&nbsp;this week just hours&nbsp;after&nbsp;reopening them.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/we-thought-taliban-had-changed-afghan-girls-banned-from-school-465445">'We thought Taliban had changed': Afghan girls banned from school</a>

"This decision by the&nbsp;Taliban, if it is not swiftly reversed, will profoundly harm the Afghan people, the country's prospects for economic growth, and the&nbsp;Taliban's ambition to improve their relations with the international community," Porter told reporters.

"For the sake of Afghanistan's future and the&nbsp;Taliban's relations with the international community we urge the&nbsp;Taliban&nbsp;to live up to their commitments and to their people," she said.

"We also stand with Afghan&nbsp;girls&nbsp;and their families, who see education as a path to realizing the full potential of Afghanistan's society and economy," she added.

The&nbsp;Taliban's decision to keep&nbsp;schools&nbsp;shuttered for&nbsp;girls&nbsp;came&nbsp;after&nbsp;a meeting late Tuesday by senior officials in the southern city of Kandahar, the movement's de facto power center and conservative spiritual heartland.

It followed months of work by the international community to address the issue of supporting teacher stipends, and came just as Afghan&nbsp;girls&nbsp;were eagerly heading back to&nbsp;school&nbsp;for the first time in seven months.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/every-afghan-girl-has-right-to-education-us-allies-slam-taliban-ban-on-girls-education-465293">'Every Afghan girl has right to education': US, allies slam Taliban ban on girls' education</a>

Major setback

When the&nbsp;Taliban&nbsp;returned to power, they promised a softer rule compared with their first regime from 1996 to 2001, which became notorious for human rights abuses.

They claimed to respect women's rights, in line with their interpretation of Islamic sharia law, and said&nbsp;girls&nbsp;would be allowed to study through to university.&nbsp;

But the&nbsp;Taliban&nbsp;have imposed a slew of restrictions on women, effectively banning them from many government jobs, policing what they wear and preventing them from travelling outside of their cities alone.

In a joint statement Thursday the foreign ministers of Britain, Canada, France, Italy, Norway and the United States, plus the high representative of the European Union, said the&nbsp;Taliban's decision will harm the group's prospects for legitimacy.

The signatories to the statement notably included Norway, which hosted landmark&nbsp;talks&nbsp;between the&nbsp;Taliban&nbsp;and several Western diplomats in January.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said Wednesday that "the denial of education violates the human rights of women and&nbsp;girls," leaving them "more exposed to violence, poverty and exploitation."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/parents-of-indian-photographer-killed-in-afghanistan-start-legal-action-against-taliban-464652">Parents of Indian photographer killed in Afghanistan start legal action against Taliban</a>

The head of the UN's educational organization UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, also criticized the&nbsp;Taliban's move, calling it a "major setback."

"Access to education is a fundamental right. UNESCO reiterates its call:&nbsp;girls&nbsp;must be allowed to return to&nbsp;school&nbsp;without further delay," she said.

Watch |&nbsp;US, allies call on Taliban to reopen girls' schools in war-torn Afghanistan

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-allies-call-on-taliban-to-reopen-schools-in-war-torn-afghanistan-465354/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The United States said on Friday that it has cancelled planned talks in Doha with the Taliban after the hardline Islamist rulers of Afghanistan shut girls' secondary schools.

The United States said on Friday that it has cancelled planned talks in Doha with the Taliban after the hardline Islamist rulers of Afghanistan shut girls' secondary schools. "We have cancelled some of our engagements, including planned meetings in Doha around the Doha Forum, and have made clear that we see this decision as a potential turning point in our engagement," State Department deputy spokeswoman Jalina Porter said. The Taliban, which seized power in August and is eager for international recognition, shut down girls' secondary schools this week just hours after reopening them. Also read | 'We thought Taliban had changed': Afghan girls banned from school "This decision by the Taliban, if it is not swiftly reversed, will profoundly harm the Afghan people, the country's prospects for economic growth, and the Taliban's ambition to improve their relations with the international community," Porter told reporters. "For the sake of Afghanistan's future and the Taliban's relations with the international community we urge the Taliban to live up to their commitments and to their people," she said. "We also stand with Afghan girls and their families, who see education as a path to realizing the full potential of Afghanistan's society and economy," she added. The Taliban's decision to keep schools shuttered for girls came after a meeting late Tuesday by senior officials in the southern city of Kandahar, the movement's de facto power center and conservative spiritual heartland. It followed months of work by the international community to address the issue of supporting teacher stipends, and came just as Afghan girls were eagerly heading back to school for the first time in seven months. Also read | 'Every Afghan girl has right to education': US, allies slam Taliban ban on girls' education Major setback When the Taliban returned to power, they promised a softer rule compared with their first regime from 1996 to 2001, which became notorious for human rights abuses. They claimed to respect women's rights, in line with their interpretation of Islamic sharia law, and said girls would be allowed to study through to university. But the Taliban have imposed a slew of restrictions on women, effectively banning them from many government jobs, policing what they wear and preventing them from travelling outside of their cities alone. In a joint statement Thursday the foreign ministers of Britain, Canada, France, Italy, Norway and the United States, plus the high representative of the European Union, said the Taliban's decision will harm the group's prospects for legitimacy. The signatories to the statement notably included Norway, which hosted landmark talks between the Taliban and several Western diplomats in January. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said Wednesday that "the denial of education violates the human rights of women and girls," leaving them "more exposed to violence, poverty and exploitation." Also read | Parents of Indian photographer killed in Afghanistan start legal action against Taliban The head of the UN's educational organization UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, also criticized the Taliban's move, calling it a "major setback." "Access to education is a fundamental right. UNESCO reiterates its call: girls must be allowed to return to school without further delay," she said. Watch | US, allies call on Taliban to reopen girls' schools in war-torn Afghanistan

US cancels talks with Taliban in Doha after girls school closure

Schools in Iran's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-vows-new-iran-sanctions-tehran-warns-us-against-attack-229649">Tehran </a>province have been ordered shut until Friday due to severe <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/domestic-air-pollution-turning-homes-into-deathtraps-13750">air pollution</a>, authorities announced, extending their closure to a full week.&nbsp;

Tehran city was cloaked by thick toxic smog for a third successive day on Monday that blanketed out landmarks like Milad Tower and the snow-capped Alborz mountains.

"All of Tehran province's schools except Firuzkuh and Damavand counties are closed for the week due to increasing air pollution," governor Mohsen Bandpey told reporters.

He added that forecasts indicated stable weather and "increasing pollutant density" across urban areas.

The average airborne concentration of the finest and most hazardous particles was at 147 microgrammes per cubic meter in the 24 hours to midday Monday, according to government website air.tehran.ir.

That is close to six times the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghanistans-taliban-lifts-ban-on-world-health-organization-252047">World Health Organization</a>'s recommended maximum of 25 microgrammes per square meter.

Pollution worsens in Tehran during winter, when cold air and a lack of wind traps hazardous smog over the capital for days on end, a phenomenon known as thermal inversion.

Schools in northern Alborz province were also closed for the week, state news agency IRNA quoted the deputy governor as saying.

The measure aims to stop pollution-belching buses from traversing the city while also keeping vulnerable youngsters indoors.

Iranian media and officials have however slammed the school closures as a limited measure to address the problem.

Shutting schools on Saturday and Sunday had evidently "not helped to improve Tehran's air quality", Donya-e Eqtesad daily wrote, calling it the "minimum necessary measure" the authorities could take.

Iran's judiciary chief Ebrahim Raisi said the "roots" of the problem must be addressed.

Tehran's mayor Pirouz Hanachi called for industries using the fuel oil mazut and gasoline to be targeted.

The sprawling capital is one of the world's most polluted cities.

According to a World Bank report last year, most of the pollution in the city of eight million is caused by heavy-duty vehicles, motorbikes, refineries and power plants

Schools in Iran's Tehran province have been ordered shut until Friday due to severe air pollution, authorities announced, extending their closure to a full week.

Schools in Iran's Tehran province have been ordered shut until Friday due to severe air pollution, authorities announced, extending their closure to a full week. Tehran city was cloaked by thick toxic smog for a third successive day on Monday that blanketed out landmarks like Milad Tower and the snow-capped Alborz mountains. "All of Tehran province's schools except Firuzkuh and Damavand counties are closed for the week due to increasing air pollution," governor Mohsen Bandpey told reporters. He added that forecasts indicated stable weather and "increasing pollutant density" across urban areas. The average airborne concentration of the finest and most hazardous particles was at 147 microgrammes per cubic meter in the 24 hours to midday Monday, according to government website air.tehran.ir. That is close to six times the World Health Organization's recommended maximum of 25 microgrammes per square meter. Pollution worsens in Tehran during winter, when cold air and a lack of wind traps hazardous smog over the capital for days on end, a phenomenon known as thermal inversion. Schools in northern Alborz province were also closed for the week, state news agency IRNA quoted the deputy governor as saying. The measure aims to stop pollution-belching buses from traversing the city while also keeping vulnerable youngsters indoors. Iranian media and officials have however slammed the school closures as a limited measure to address the problem. Shutting schools on Saturday and Sunday had evidently "not helped to improve Tehran's air quality", Donya-e Eqtesad daily wrote, calling it the "minimum necessary measure" the authorities could take. Iran's judiciary chief Ebrahim Raisi said the "roots" of the problem must be addressed. Tehran's mayor Pirouz Hanachi called for industries using the fuel oil mazut and gasoline to be targeted. The sprawling capital is one of the world's most polluted cities. According to a World Bank report last year, most of the pollution in the city of eight million is caused by heavy-duty vehicles, motorbikes, refineries and power plants

Tehran air pollution forces week-long school closure

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