Iran's Deputy Interior Minister Calls For Direct Intelligence Communication With Taliban

He stated that 100 kilometres of the project are expected to be completed and operational by the end of the year.

During a visit to the construction site on Sunday, Heydari informed IRNA: “Additionally, 30 kilometres of border obstruction in the first phase are ready for wall construction and installation.”

According to Heydari, over 80 kilometres of infrastructure necessary for various stages of this major project have already been completed in the region. He expressed confidence that the current planning would ensure 100 kilometres of the project are finalised and operational by year-end.

The commander revealed that the entire border wall construction, spanning 300 kilometres along the shared border with Afghanistan, is projected to take three years to complete.

Heydari highlighted that the project incorporates advanced border surveillance technologies and is designed to be “fully intelligent.” The border obstruction features a four-metre-high wall with a metal fence installed on top.

Khorasan Razavi province, where part of this project is being implemented, shares an approximately 532-kilometre border with Turkmenistan to the north and northeast, and a 302-kilometre border with Afghanistan to the east.

The attack occurred on the evening of Saturday, 18 January, according to a statement released by the group on Sunday.

The AFF stated, “As a result of this attack, four Taliban members were killed, and two others were injured.” The group also added that Mullah Ibrahim Mansoori, a Taliban intelligence commander, was among those targeted, but his fate remains unclear.

Residents of Baghlan province earlier reported the explosion to Afghanistan International, which occurred in Pol-e-Khomri city on Saturday afternoon.

The Afghanistan Freedom Front is an armed resistance group opposing the Taliban, formed after the fall of the previous Afghan government in 2021. The AFF identifies itself as a defender of freedom, justice, and the rights of the Afghan people.

The group has declared its mission to achieve an Afghanistan free from extremism and has embraced armed struggle as a means to achieve this goal.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the Taliban’s Supreme Court revealed that a delegation led by Abdul Malik Haqqani, the court’s administrative deputy, met with Kazem Gharibabadi, the Deputy Chief for International Affairs of the Iranian Judiciary, during a visit to Tehran.

The statement highlighted discussions between the two sides aimed at strengthening judicial and legal cooperation. Among the key topics was the transfer of Afghan prisoners currently held in Iranian custody.

The Taliban also claimed to have raised the issue of exploring alternatives to the death penalty for Afghan prisoners facing execution in Iran. The rights of Afghan migrants were reportedly another topic of discussion during the talks.

In the past, concerns have been raised about the treatment of Afghan prisoners handed over by Iran to the Taliban. There are fears that some of these individuals may be opponents of the Taliban and could face human rights violations upon their return.

This development comes amidst broader issues in Afghan-Iranian relations, including the treatment of Afghan migrants, the execution of Afghan prisoners in Iran, and ongoing judicial interactions between the two countries. These remain significant and contentious matters in their bilateral relationship.

Egeland noted that the girls weaving carpets at the centre have been deprived of their right to education. One child labourer shared her story, saying: “I only finished Year 5, but my dream is still to become a doctor.”

On Saturday, Egeland posted on the social media platform X that he had returned to Afghanistan, where 22 million people are in need of humanitarian aid. Amid this crisis, Pakistan has deported 800,000 Afghan refugees, and Iran is planning to expel an additional two million.

During his visit to Herat, Egeland met women who have returned to Afghanistan without their husbands and now live in poverty and despair. He also visited a women’s entrepreneurship centre in Parwan province. He shared that Parwana, an entrepreneur supported by the NRC in 2021, now employs 20 female tailors, all of whom are the primary breadwinners for their families.

Egeland criticised the slow pace of financial support for humanitarian initiatives aimed at empowering Afghan women.

The Taliban has banned girls from attending school beyond Year 6 and has closed universities to women. The regime has also imposed severe restrictions on Afghan women, including prohibiting them from working, visiting parks, travelling without a male guardian, and working with international organisations.

Several human rights groups and activists have accused the Taliban of implementing a system of “gender apartheid.”

Abbas Stanekzai stated that the prohibition on women’s education is solely the personal view of Hibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban’s supreme leader.

Speaking at a graduation ceremony for religious school students in Khost Province on Saturday, Stanekzai said the Taliban’s actions are contrary to Islamic law and have deprived Afghanistan’s 20 million women of their fundamental rights.

Since taking control of Afghanistan, the Taliban has closed schools to girls beyond the sixth grade, barred women from universities, and imposed severe restrictions on their participation in public life. Women are prohibited from working in government positions, banned from non-governmental organisations, and prevented from accessing recreational facilities, including parks and sports activities. The group has also declared women’s voices as inappropriate to be heard publicly.

Stanekzai criticised these measures as un-Islamic and suggested that they reflect the personal inclinations of the Taliban leader rather than any religious doctrine. He appealed to the Taliban leadership to reopen schools and universities to girls, emphasising that no valid reason or excuse justifies these restrictions.

This is not the first instance where Stanekzai has spoken out against the Taliban’s policies towards women. He has previously criticised the ban on girls’ education and called for greater respect for women’s rights.

During his speech, Stanekzai underscored the importance of education in Islamic history, asserting: “Out of Afghanistan’s 40 million population, we are committing injustice against 20 million women. How will we answer for this on the Day of Judgement?”

He also highlighted the harsh conditions women face under Taliban rule, noting that they are often denied their rightful inheritance, forced into traditional compensatory marriages, and excluded from places of worship and learning. He questioned whether these actions align with Islamic principles.

The Taliban deputy foreign minister acknowledged that international criticism of the Taliban is largely driven by the group’s treatment of women. “The entire world confronts us over this issue. They criticise us for it. We have taken a path that is shaped by our own personal tendencies, not by Islamic law,” Stanekzai said.

His remarks come in the face of repeated instructions from Hibatullah Akhundzada, who has urged Taliban officials to refrain from publicly criticising the group’s policies. Instead, he has directed them to convey their opinions privately.

Over the past three years, numerous Islamic leaders and scholars around the world have challenged the Taliban’s stance on women, arguing that it violates the principles of Islamic teachings.