Iran Begins Construction of Border Wall Along Dogharoun Free Trade Zone

Construction of a 40-kilometer border wall has begun in the Dogharoun Free Trade-Industrial Zone, adjacent to Afghanistan, with an estimated budget exceeding 4 trillion rials. Iranian local officials say the wall is expected to be completed within the next year.

The project is being implemented as Dogharoun, one of Iran’s five major economic customs points, holds a strategic position at the border crossing with Afghanistan’s Herat province. The development of security and trade infrastructure, such as this wall, is part of a comprehensive plan for the region, although local residents remain unaware of how the project will affect their lives and livelihoods.

According to Amin Shahgoli, Deputy of Technical and Infrastructure Affairs at the Dogharoun Free Zone, in addition to the wall, the first phase of site development is under way and has reached 30% completion. This area will handle the loading and unloading of commercial goods. The total area of the free zone is 8,700 hectares, of which only 2,000 hectares currently have official documentation.

Shahgoli noted that the final approval of the master development plan has faced execution challenges, but cooperation among local agencies in Iran’s Khorasan Razavi province has led to some progress.

Hossein Jamshidi, governor of Taybad, has called for the accelerated implementation of the master plan, emphasizing that it could bring new construction and economic opportunities that would offer hope to residents of the border area.

These developments are unfolding as, on the Afghan side, the Taliban administration has yet to present a concrete development plan for managing the Islam Qala border crossing or improving related infrastructure. This has increased concerns about a lack of coordination and the impact of these changes on Afghan traders and residents of Herat.

Alongside the commercial prospects, there is a pressing need for transparency in how financial resources are used and in upholding the rights of local populations—a concern that has become more sensitive under Taliban control and the accompanying absence of legal legitimacy.