Iran’s Interior Minister Says Taliban Acquainted With Border Issues

Ahmad Vahidi, the Minister of Interior of Iran, said that negotiations with the Taliban officials regarding border issues had been held. According to ISNA, Vahidi added, "The Taliban has been acquainted with the problems and our borders are calm and open to traffic."

Iranian interior minister stressed that Iranian border guards are strong and decisive in performing their duties. However, he said that if the other side at the joint borders do not have a strong security system in place, the borders will face problems.

Iran's interior minister added, "Of course, the various cases that have occurred have been strongly dealt with, and security has been maintained at the borders. So, there are no problems with the borders of our country."

He said that the terrorists have been looking to infiltrate the borders, but they should know that they will be punished for their actions.

Vahidi said that during the negotiation with the Taliban, they were warned to clarify border issues to their people. He said, "Our border units strongly defend national interests and do not allow anyone to violate the borders.”

Earlier in May, as a result of the border skirmishes between Taliban forces and Iranian border guards in Kong area of Nimroz province, two Iranian border guards and a Taliban fighter had been killed.

Since the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021, except for scattered clashes, the latest border skirmish had been unprecedented in terms of the use of heavy weapons between the Taliban and Iranian border guards.

The border skirmish took place when tensions between the Taliban and Tehran had been high on the water rights issue from the Helmand River.