2023 Afghanistan–Iran clash

On 27 May 2023, Armed Forces of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and Iranian border guards clashed along the Afghanistan–Iran border between the Afghan Nimruz Province and the Iranian Sistan and Baluchestan Province.[5] After a brief clash, the two sides de-escalated the situation.[1][6]

2023 Afghanistan–Iran clash
Part of the spillover of the Afghan conflict

Location of the fighting
Date27 May 2023
Location
Afghanistan–Iran border
Result

status quo ante bellum

  • Border crossing reopened[1]
Belligerents
 Afghanistan  Iran
Units involved
Afghan Armed Forces Border Guard Command
Casualties and losses
1 killed (Afghan claim)[2]
Several killed (Iranian claim)[3]		 1 killed (Afghan claim)[2]
1 killed, 2 injured (Iranian claim)[4]

Background

Iran's rights to the Helmand water
Map showing the Helmand River drainage basin

Disputes between Iran and Afghanistan over rights to the water of the Helmand river first 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. According to a 1973 treaty between the prime ministers of both nations, Iran is supposed to receive a share of 820 million cubic meters of the river each year.[7][8][9] In 1978 Afghanistan turned Communist following the Saur Revolution, Iran would under go its own revolution overthrowing the Pro Western Shah and turning Iran into a Shia theocracy. Relations between the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan and the newly formed Islamic Republic of Iran soured.[10] The issue of water rights were an issue of great importance between the two nations, during Ashraf Ghani's presidency, Afghanistan began building a number of new dams, such as the Salma Dam across the Harirud river and the Kamal Khan Dam across the Helmand river. Taliban-linked historian Mustafa Hamid stated that the Kamal Khan dam was expressly designed by the American government to complicate future relations between Iran and Afghanistan, and did not benefit Afghanistan.[11] Afghan officials have been discussing water sharing arrangements with the Iranian side since the Taliban came to power.[12] On 18 May 2023, Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi warned the Taliban not to violate Iran's rights to the Helmand river's water, urging them to implement the 1973 treaty.[13]

Iran–Taliban relations

Relations between Iran, a primarily Shiite country, and the Taliban, dominated by Sunni fundamentalists, have historically been highly volatile.[14] 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, in an incident condemned by the Taliban. This led to a military mobilization by Iran, which was resolved with the mediation of the United Nations.[15] 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 Herat uprising.[16]

After George W. Bush's 2002 "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.[17][18] In 2017, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan accused Iran of 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. Iran has denied all accusations of providing support to the Taliban.[19]

In mid-2021, the Taliban, allegedly supported by Iran,[20][21] reestablished its rule over Afghanistan following the U.S. withdrawal from the country.[22] On 1 December 2021, the 2021 Afghanistan–Iran clashes occurred between the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran. Both sides called it an accident.

Clashes

Official statement issued by both sides as to how the clashes took place differed significantly, with each side blaming the other. 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."[23] Ghasem Rezaei, 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."[23]

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, and were repelled.[3]

Iranian border guard forces made use of artillery during the clashes but denied claims regarding the use of missiles.[24]

Aftermath

Iran reopened the border with Afghanistan at the Abrisham bridge on 28 May, which had been closed previously due to the clashes.[25]

The Iranian Embassy in Kabul and Afghan officials established contact afterwards to look into the incident.[24] 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.[3] On 29 May 2023, after the end of the clashes, Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi described the situation on the Iranian-Afghan border as follows:[1]

"At present, we have no problem. The border crossing is open for travels and is tranquil".

Taliban officials called for diplomacy as the solution to problems, claiming that the problems at the border had been addressed, with Afghanistan's foreign ministry adding that the country has no intention of conflict with Iran. Zia-Ahmad Takal, deputy spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated:[6]

"We don’t want relations with our neighboring countries to deteriorate ... The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is never in favor of escalation".

Members of the Taliban prime minister’s political commission also called for good relations with Iran, in response to the clashes.[26] Additionally, Afghanistan's chargés d'affaires in Islamabad Sardar Ahmad Khan Shakib stated:[27]

"The Afghan Taliban never wants its relations with its neighbors to be influenced, and according to the Islamic principles, we will not take any steps to violate the rights of our neighbor Iran".

See also

References
  1. "Iran-Afghanistan Border Calm after Clash: Interior Minister". Tasnim News Agency. 29 May 2023. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  2. 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. "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.
  4. "One Iranian Border Guard Martyred, 2 Injured in Clash with Taliban". Tasnim News Agency. 28 May 2023. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  5. "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.
  6. Karokhail, Parwiz (29 May 2023). "Afghanistan calls for 'diplomatic' resolution with Iran after border skirmishes". Arab News.
  7. 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.
  8. "Why a dam in Afghanistan might set back peace". Christian Science Monitor. 30 July 2013.
  9. "Iran speaks up for water rights". BBC News. 19 June 2002. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  10. Byrne, Malcolm; Zubok, Vladislav. "The Intervention in Afghanistan and the Fall of Detente, A Chronology" (PDF). nsarchive2.gwu.edu.
  11. Hamid, Mustafa (29 May 2023). "مياه للحرب (2)" [Water for War (2)]. Māfā as-Sīyāsī (in Arabic). Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  12. Ramachandran, Sudha (15 February 2022). "Afghanistan-Iran Disquiet Over the Helmand River". The Diplomat. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  13. "Iran warns Afghanistan's Taliban rulers not to violate its water rights, over Helmand River". Associated Press. 18 May 2023. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  14. "اشتباك حدودي بين القوات الإيرانية وطالبان بسبب "سوء فهم"" [Border clash between Iranian forces and Taliban over 'misunderstanding']. CNN Arabic (in Arabic). 1 December 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  15. "Taliban, Iran hold talks". CNN. 3 February 1999. Retrieved 1 December 2021. Wakil Ahmad Mutawakil, a top spokesman of the Taliban, told the Iranian side that his militia, which controls 90 percent of Afghanistan, was committed to punishing the killers of the Iranian nationals.
  16. Nadimi, Farzin (19 July 2021). "Iran Sets Its Eyes on Afghanistan". Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  17. 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.
  18. Stancati, Margherita (11 June 2015). "Iran Backs Taliban With Cash and Arms". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on 12 June 2015. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  19. "Iran Accused of Helping Taliban Capture A District In Afghanistan". RFE/RL. 26 July 2017. Archived from the original on 27 July 2017.
  20. Giustozzi, Antonio (30 September 2021). "Russia and Iran: Disappointed Friends of the Taliban?". Royal United Services Institute.
  21. Roggio, Bill (12 July 2021). "Taliban advances as U.S. completes withdrawal". FDD's Long War Journal.
  22. 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.
  23. "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.
  24. "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.
  25. "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.
  26. "A Compulsive Embrace Beneath the Afghanistan-Iran Water Conflict". The Diplomat. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  27. "Taliban will never violate Iran's rights: Envoy". IRNA. 31 May 2023. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
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