Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed that the group wants to participate in the BRICS meeting in Russia to discuss economic issues.

The Taliban has asked Russia to invite the group to the BRICS meeting, but Moscow has not responded to this request so far.

Russia's state-run RIA Novosti news agency reported last week that the Taliban had sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin's aide Yuri Ushakov requesting him that they want to attend the BRICS leaders' meeting.

The letter stated that Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban's deputy prime minister, is interested in attending the BRICS summit in Kazan.

The letter was sent by the Taliban's Minister of Industry and Trade Nooruddin Azizi. The BRICS summit is scheduled to be held from October 22 to 24 in the Russian city of Kazan.

Zabihullah Mujahid told the Taliban-controlled National Radio and Television on Wednesday, that powerful countries in the economic arena are members of the BRICS, and that is why Taliban representatives want to participate in the upcoming meeting. The move could provide more economic opportunities for Afghanistan, he said.

So far, no country has recognised the Taliban. Despite its diplomatic relations with the Taliban, Russia has not yet responded to the Taliban's request.

The main members of the BRICS group are Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. The group expanded with the membership of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Iran and Ethiopia at the beginning of this year.

Russia has announced that the upcoming meeting will focus on developing cooperation in three key areas: political and security, economic and financial, and cultural.