| Conflict: | 2023 Afghanistan–Iran clash |
| Width: | 315 |
| Partof: | the spillover of the Afghan conflict |
| Date: | 27 May 2023 |
| Place: | Afghanistan–Iran border |
| Result: | Stalemate
|
| Units1: | Afghan Armed Forces |
| Units2: | Border Guard Command |
| Casualties1: | 1 killed (Afghan claim)[1] Several killed (Iranian claim)[2] |
| Casualties2: | 1 killed (Afghan claim) 1 killed, 2 injured (Iranian claim)[3] |
| Combatant1: |  Afghanistan |
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.[4] After a brief clash, the two sides de-escalated the situation.
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.[5] [6] [7] In 1978 Afghanistan turned Communist following the Saur Revolution, Iran would undergo 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 as in July 1979 Hafizullah Amin announced that the DRA was not bound by old treaties with Iran regarding the distribution of water from the Helmand River.[8] [9] Amin's statements provoked a sharp response from Iran which interpreted the Afghan position as using Soviet backing to assert themselves in the region. 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.[10] Afghan officials have been discussing water sharing arrangements with the Iranian side since the Taliban came to power.[11] 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.[12]
Relations between Iran, a primarily Shiite country, and the Taliban, dominated by Sunni fundamentalists, have historically been highly volatile.[13] 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.[14] 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.[15]
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.[16] [17] 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.[18]
In mid-2021, the Taliban, allegedly supported by Iran,[19] [20] reestablished its rule over Afghanistan following the U.S. withdrawal from the country.[21] 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.
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."[22], 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."[22]
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 Afghan forces, unaware of what was happening, assumed that the Iranian forces were attacking them, and a clash ensued. Afghan forces then attempted to attack the border villages of Sasuli, Hatam, and Makaki, and were repelled.
Iranian border guard forces made use of artillery during the clashes but denied claims regarding the use of missiles.[23]
Iran reopened the border with Afghanistan at the Abrisham bridge on 28 May, which had been closed previously due to the clashes.[24]
The Iranian Embassy in Kabul and Afghan officials established contact afterwards to look into the incident. Iranian general Kioumars Heydari and deputy chief of Iranian law enforcement Ghasem Rezaei also held a joint meeting with Afghan officials in Zabol city, discussing how to prevent such incidents from taking place in the future. 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:[25]
"At present, we have no problem. The border crossing is open for travels and is tranquil".Afghan 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:[26]
"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 Afghan prime minister’s political commission also called for good relations with Iran, in response to the clashes.[27] Additionally, Afghanistan's chargés d'affaires in Islamabad Sardar Ahmad Khan Shakib stated:[28]
"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".