Taliban and Iran Expand Border Cooperation Amid Security Concerns
The Taliban-led administration claims it has full control over Afghanistan’s borders and is preventing all forms of human trafficking, drug smuggling, and illegal activities.
Abdul Mateen Qani, spokesperson for the Taliban’s Ministry of Interior, stated that efforts are ongoing to establish lasting security across the country’s borders. He added that the administration aims to facilitate legal travel and trade in coordination with neighboring countries.
“There are serious efforts underway to establish secure and stable borders,” the Interior Ministry spokesperson said. “Our administration is working to create legal routes for trade and movement in cooperation with neighboring countries.”
In response to these statements, Alireza Bikdeli, acting head of Iran’s embassy in Kabul, confirmed that efforts to enhance border cooperation between Tehran and Kabul are progressing. Bikdeli noted that the two countries have agreed to rebuild border fences, with the goal of transforming these borders into symbols of ‘friendship and brotherhood.’
Despite the Taliban’s assertions about securing the borders, media reports in recent years have consistently highlighted an increase in drug trafficking and illegal border crossings. Critics argue that the administration lacks the capacity to effectively monitor and control Afghanistan’s extensive and challenging border regions, and see its security claims as more rhetorical than practical.
