A member of the FDNY passes outside the United Nations headquarters, on Sept. 21, 2021, during the 76th Session of the U.N. General Assembly in New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, Pool)

       UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- The United Nations says the Taliban, Afghanistan's new rulers since last month, have challenged the credentials of Afghanistan's former U.N. ambassador and are asking to speak at the U.N. General Assembly's high-level meeting of world leaders that began Tuesday.

       U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Secretary-General Antonio Guterres received a communication on Sept. 15 from the currently accredited Afghan Ambassador, Ghulam Isaczai, with the list of Afghanistan's delegation for the assembly's 76th session.

       Guterres received another communication on Sept. 20 with the letterhead "Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs," signed by "Ameer Khan Muttaqi" as "Minister of Foreign Affairs," requesting to participate in the U.N. gathering of world leaders.

       Muttaqi said in the letter that former Afghan president Ashraf Ghani was "ousted" as of Aug. 15 and that countries across the world "no longer recognize him as president" and therefore Isaczai no longer represents Afghanistan, Dujarric said.

       The Taliban said it was nominating a new U.N. permanent representative, Mohammad Suhail Shaheen, the U.N. spokesman said.

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