In the meantime, the United States established a consulate in Herat to help further strengthen its relations with Afghanistan. On 12 August 2021, the city fell to the Taliban during the 2021 Taliban offensive.

Majority Farsiwan (Tajiks), minority Pashtuns, few Hazaras, Uzbeks, Turkmens and others.

The Russians responded to their loss of face with an attempted invasion of Khiva under Vasily Alekseevich Perovsky. In 1856, the British used the same method to reverse a Persian capture of Herat during the Anglo-Persian War. In 1863, Herat was captured again, and this time ceded to Afghanistan.