2023 Afghanistan–Iran clash

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2023 Afghanistan–Iran clash
Part of the spillover of the Afghan conflict
Сумежны ўзброены канфлікт паміж Талібанам і Іранам (2023).png
Map of the fighting
Date27 May 2023
Location
Afghanistan–Iran border
Result

Status quo ante bellum

  • Afghan troops captured several checkpoints but later withdrew
  • Peace talk continues
  • Tensions eased, border crossing reopened
[1]
Belligerents
 Afghanistan  Iran
Commanders and leaders
Mullah Yaqoob Ali Khamenei
Units involved
Afghanistan Islamic Emirate Armed Forces Marzbani.svg Border Guard Command
Casualties and losses
1 killed (Afghan claim) [2] 1 killed (Afghan claim)[2]
2 killed (Iranian claim)[2]

On 27 May 2023, Islamic Emirate Armed Forces forces and Iranian border guards clashed along the Afghanistan–Iran border between the Afghan Nimruz Province and the Iranian Sistan and Baluchestan Province. Which resulted in afghan victory.[2][3] After a brief clash, the two sides de-escalated the situation.[1][4]

Background[edit]

Iran's rights to the Helmand water[edit]

Map showing the Helmand River drainage basin

Disputes over the Helmand water occurred in the 1870s, flaring again after the river changed course in 1896. In 1939, the kings of the two countries signed an accord to share water rights, which was signed but never ratified. With a 1973 treaty between the prime ministers of both nations which Iran was supposed to receive a share of 820 million cubic meters of the river each year, but it again not ratified.[5][6][7] Prior to 1979, the year in which Iran underwent the Iranian Revolution and Afghanistan was invaded by the Soviet Union, the issue of water rights of the Helmand River were an issue of great importance between the two nations. During Ashraf Ghani's presidency, Afghanistan began building dams, such as the Salma Dam across the Harirud River and the Kamal Khan Dam in Helmand province, to store water and increase hydropower generation. Afghan officials have been discussing water sharing with the Iranians since the Taliban came to power.[8]

Iran–Taliban relations[edit]

Relations between Iran, a primarily Shiite country, and the Taliban, dominated by Sunni fundamentalists, have historically been highly volatile.[9] During the Taliban's rule of Afghanistan between 1996–2001, 10 Iranian diplomats and an Iranian journalist from the consulate in Mazar-i-Sharif, were executed by the Taliban. This led to a military mobilization by Iran, which was resolved with the mediation of the United Nations.[10] During the 2001 U.S. Invasion of Afghanistan, Iran cooperated with the U.S. forces and Iranian special forces supported the Northern Alliance during the capture of Herat.[11]

After the "axis of evil" speech, Iran improved its relations with the Taliban, during the war the U.S., UK and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan accused Iran of providing sanctuaries and material support to the Taliban.[12][13][14] In 2010, an Iranian Quds Force officer, who described as a "key Taliban weapons facilitator" was captured by NATO forces in Afghanistan.[15] In 2017, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan accused Iran of directly aiding the Taliban in their offensive against the Afghan government forces in western Afghanistan and claimed that Iran had tried to destroy a dam in Herat province.[16] Iran has denied the accusations of providing support to the Taliban.

In the summer of 2021 the Taliban, supported by Iran[17][18], reestablished its rule over Afghanistan following the U.S. withdrawal from the country.[19] In November 2021, National Resistance Front of Afghanistan's leader Ahmad Massoud and Herat warlord Ismail Khan met in Iran as part of their attempts to strengthen the Afghan opposition.[20] On December 1, 2021, a border clash occurred between the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and Islamic Republic of Iran. Both sides called it an accident.

The delegation, led by Deputy Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Brigadier General Bahram Hosseini Motlaq, held a meeting with and his Afghan counterpart Haji Mali Khan Sadiq, under Afghanistan’s Taliban government in Kabul on May 2023.[21]

Verbal War[edit]

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi warned the Afghan rulers not to violate their water rights over the Hirmand River. In response, the former Taliban police spokesperson Mubeen Khan mocked Iranian President,[22] which angered the Iranians and led to a war of words and threatening each other.[23]

Clashes[edit]

Official statement issued by both sides as to how the clashes took place differed significantly, with each side blaming the other:

  • Afghanistan Inayatullah Khwarazmi, spokesperson for the Afghan Ministry of Defence, stated: "Unfortunately, today once again in the border areas of Kang district of Nimroz province, there was a shooting by Iranian soldiers, [and] a conflict...broke out."[24]
  • Iran Ghasem Rezaei [fa], the deputy chief of Iranian law enforcement, stated: "Without observing international laws and good neighbourliness, Taliban forces started shooting at the Sasuli checkpoint...drawing a decisive response."[24]

Kayhan newspaper blamed the US and its regional allies.[25] Amir Ali Hajizadeh, commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force, claimed on Monday that Iran's "enemies" wanted the border conflict with the Taliban to turn into a war. In a speech, he claimed that America has created "various traps" to trap Iran in a war.[26]

According to Iran's Tasnim News Agency, the clashes began when a group of armed drug smugglers attempted to cross into Iran, and Iranian forces fired on them. Local Taliban forces, unaware of what was happening, assumed that the Iranian forces were attacking them, and a clash ensued. Taliban forces then attempted to attack the border villages of Sasuli, Hatam, and Makaki, were repelled.[27]

Iranian border guard forces made use of artillery during the clashes but denied claims regarding the use of missiles.[28]

Aftermath[edit]

Iran reopened the border with Afghanistan at the Abrisham bridge on 28 May, which had been closed previously due to the clashes.[29] The support of the Iranian government to the Taliban was criticized by Iranian Reformists media and Ahmad Masoud.[30][31]

The Iranian Embassy in Kabul and Afghan officials established contact afterwards to look into the incident.[28] Iranian general Kioumars Heydari and deputy chief of Iranian law enforcement Ghasem Rezaei also held a joint meeting with Taliban officials in Zabol city, discussing how to prevent such incidents from taking place in the future.[27] After the brief skirmish, Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi said the situation on the Iran-Afghan border was normal and the crossings were open again.[1]

Afghan official calls for diplomatic solution to dispute, Afghanistan's foreign ministry said it has no intention of conflict with Iran. 'Currently, the situation is under control', Taliban claimed the problems at the border have been addressed.[4]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c "Iran-Afghanistan Border Calm after Clash: Interior Minister - Politics news". Tasnim News Agency. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d Gambrell, Jon (27 May 2023). "Iran exchanges heavy gunfire with Taliban on Afghan border, escalating tensions over water rights". Dubai: Associated Press. Archived from the original on 27 May 2023. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  3. ^ "Iranian and Taliban forces engage in shootout on border over water dispute". The Times of Israel. Agence France-Presse. 27 May 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Afghanistan calls for 'diplomatic' resolution with Iran after border skirmishes". Arab News. 29 May 2023.
  5. ^ Samii, Bill (7 September 2005). "Iran/Afghanistan: Still No Resolution For Century-Old Water Dispute". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). Retrieved 12 January 2012.
  6. ^ "Why a dam in Afghanistan might set back peace". Christian Science Monitor. 30 July 2013.
  7. ^ "Iran speaks up for water rights". 19 June 2002. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  8. ^ "Afghanistan-Iran Disquiet Over the Helmand River". The diplomat. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  9. ^ "اشتباك حدودي بين القوات الإيرانية وطالبان بسبب "سوء فهم"". CNN Arabic. 1 December 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  10. ^ "Taliban, Iran hold talks". CNN. 3 February 199. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  11. ^ Nadimi, Farzin (19 July 2021). "Iran Sets Its Eyes on Afghanistan". Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  12. ^ Siddique, Abubakar; Shayan, Noorullah (31 July 2017). "Mounting Afghan Ire Over Iran's Support For Taliban". RFE/RL. Archived from the original on 31 July 2017.
  13. ^ "Iran Backs Taliban With Cash and Arms". The Wall Street Journal. 11 June 2015. Archived from the original on 12 June 2015. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  14. ^ "Afghanistan war logs: Iran's covert operations in Afghanistan". The Guardian. 25 July 2010. Archived from the original on 4 September 2013.
  15. ^ "Iranian officer captured in Afghanistan: NATO". Khaleej Times. 24 December 2010. Archived from the original on 2 December 2021.
  16. ^ "Iran Accused of Helping Taliban Capture A District In Afghanistan". RFE/RL. 26 July 2017. Archived from the original on 27 July 2017.
  17. ^ Giustozzi, Antonio (30 September 2021). "Russia and Iran: Disappointed Friends of the Taliban?". Royal United Services Institute.
  18. ^ "Taliban advances as U.S. completes withdrawal". FDD's Long War Journal.
  19. ^ Trofimov, Yaroslav (14 August 2021). "How the Taliban Overran the Afghan Army, Built by the U.S. Over 20 Years". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  20. ^ Chaudhury, Dipanjan Roy (8 November 2021). "Anti-Taliban leader Ahmad Masoud visits Iran to stitch alliance". India Times. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  21. ^ "Iranian Military Delegation in Afghanistan for Talks - Politics news". Tasnim News Agency. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  22. ^ ""Iranian press review: Taliban figure mocks Raisi over water rights demands"". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  23. ^ ""Iran's Water Dispute Continues With Taliban As They Ridicule Raisi"". Iran International.
  24. ^ a b "At least three killed in shooting at Iran-Afghan border". Al Jazeera. 27 May 2023. Archived from the original on 27 May 2023. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  25. ^ جهان, Fararu | فرارو | اخبار روز ایران و (30 May 2023). "تحلیل سردرگم کیهان از قضیه طالبان/ همسایگان به گردن هم حق دارند!". fa (in Persian). Retrieved 30 May 2023.
  26. ^ "فرمانده بلندپایه جمهوری اسلامی درگیری مرزی با طالبان را «دام امریکایی» توصیف کرد". افغانستان اینترنشنال (in Persian). 30 May 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
  27. ^ a b "جزئیات جدید از علت آغاز درگیری در مرز با افغانستان/ ممانعت از ورود کاروان قاچاقچیان به درگیری با طالبان انجامید" [New details of the reason for the start of the conflict on the border with Afghanistan / preventing the entry of smugglers' convoys led to a conflict with the Taliban]. Tasnim News Agency (in Persian). 28 May 2023. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  28. ^ a b "Iran Police Blame Taliban for Eruption of Border Clash". Tasnim News Agency. 28 May 2023. Archived from the original on 28 May 2023. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  29. ^ "بازگشایی پل ابریشم در مرز افغانستان پس از درگیری مرزبانان ایران با نیروهای طالبان" [The reopening of the Abrisham Bridge on the Afghanistan border after the clash between Iranian border guards and Taliban forces]. Tasnim News Agency (in Persian). 28 May 2023. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
  30. ^ "انتقاد کاربران شبکه‌های اجتماعی از عملکرد جمهوری اسلامی؛ احمد مسعود: نگفتمت مرو آنجا؟". ir.voanews.com. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
  31. ^ "Iranian media say we buried more savage groups like ISIS". "Afghanistan International".
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