Iranian Commander Announces Commencement of Border Obstruction Plan with Afghanistan
Hassan Makfi, a commander in the Iranian army, announced that four engineering groups have been deployed to the region to implement the plan for border obstruction between Iran and Afghanistan.
He outlined that the border obstruction plan, which involves building a four-meter concrete wall, erecting barbed wire, and fencing, will be completed within three years.
According to reports from Iranian state media on Monday, Makfi declared the initiation of the project to obstruct Iran's eastern border with Afghanistan.
Makfi emphasised that the Iranian army has been responsible for guarding the border with Afghanistan since 2018, with Iranian forces stationed there.
Without further elaboration, this Iranian military official stated, "When politicians reduce their activities in the diplomatic arena, the army and armed forces take action."
Earlier, the President of Iran directed the allocation of three billion dollars to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Iran for this purpose.
The Iranian Deputy Interior Minister stated that the objective behind obstruction of the eastern borders with Afghanistan is to bolster security and curb human and weapon trafficking.
In February, the commander of the Iranian army's ground forces announced that the first phase of the border obstruction project between Afghanistan and Iran, spanning 74 kilometres, is in progress.
Officials from the Iranian Ministry of Interior report that over USD 20 billion worth of smuggled goods enter or leave Iran annually.
