Taliban fighters stand guard at a checkpoint near the US embassy that was previously manned by American troops, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021. (Photo: AP)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Tuesday that the Taliban's initial assurances since completing their military takeover of Afghanistan over the weekend have been a "positive signal".

"I consider it a positive signal that the Taliban in Kabul are declaring and in practice showing their readiness to respect the opinion of others," Lavrov said.