Transnational Assassinations in the Style of Israel

Iran’s law enforcement announced that the perpetrators of the assassination of Maroof Ghulami in Mashhad have been arrested.

Maroof Ghulami, head of the council of Jihadi commanders in western Afghanistan and a close associate of Ismail Khan, was attacked a few days ago in a private residence.

Some informed sources claim that the attackers were linked to the Taliban. The history of Taliban leaders threatening political opponents strengthens this possibility, as the group has already carried out physical eliminations of opponents beyond Afghanistan’s borders.

Last year, the Taliban attempted to kidnap Qari Isa Mohammadi at Mashhad Airport, an operation that ultimately failed.

Three points are now of particular importance:

1. Several Taliban leaders, including Neda Mohammad Nadim, the group’s minister of higher education, have repeatedly threatened that they would target their opponents anywhere in the world. With the assassination of Maroof Ghulami in Mashhad, Taliban operations have now taken on a transnational dimension. This means the group is pursuing the same strategy Israel has long followed in eliminating opponents wherever they are found. The similarities between the Taliban and Israel have thus moved from abstract to concrete: both now anchor their survival in destabilizing their surroundings through cross-border crimes. For a regime already suffering a crisis of legitimacy, such extraterritorial assassinations can deepen regional instability.
2. Maroof Ghulami, though influential in parts of Afghanistan’s southwest, was not considered a heavyweight compared with other Taliban opponents living in Iran. By targeting someone of his standing, the Taliban seem to be testing Iran’s security environment and gauging the consequences of such actions. Their next steps will likely be designed according to the outcome of this test.
3. The murder of Jamal Khashoggi in Saudi Arabia’s consulate in Turkey showed how a state that values its sovereignty can leverage such crimes committed on its soil to apply international pressure. The Taliban’s assassination of a political opponent on Iranian territory amounts to a direct violation of Iran’s security domain. Leaving such a violation unanswered would embolden the Taliban to repeat similar crimes, putting Iran’s national security at serious risk. This act by the Taliban is a blatant insult to Iran, which over the past four years has pursued a policy of engagement with the group and barred Taliban opponents from any activity on its soil. While the swift action of Iranian police in arresting those involved is commendable, relevant authorities are expected to bring transparency to the case and respond appropriately to the perpetrators and their possible commanders, sending a clear message in defense of national security and territorial integrity.

—Seyed Ahmad Mousavi Mobalegh