Afghanistan Times
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By Rafiullah Anwari
Ahmad Ali Goudarzi, the Commander of Iran’s Border Guards, stated that preventing illegal migration and the smuggling of goods, especially fuel and drugs, are the main goals behind constructing a wall on Iran’s borders with Afghanistan and Pakistan.
He told IRNA News Agency Today (Sunday, October 20) that Iran plans to build walls along all its border provinces. However, “based on law enforcement and military assessments, especially concerning drug smuggling and migration, the priority is currently the border with Pakistan and Afghanistan.”
The commander added that 80% of drug smuggling into Iran occurs through the country’s borders with Afghanistan and Pakistan.
This statement comes after reports surfaced last week of the “execution-style killing” of around 260 Afghan migrants in border areas between Pakistan and Afghanistan. According to sources, these migrants, who were attempting to enter Iran, were brutally and collectively killed.
However, Iranian officials have denied any involvement in this mass killing. Hassan Kazemi Qomi, Iran’s ambassador to Afghanistan, stated that Iranian border guards were not responsible for the massacre.
Meanwhile, officials from Afghanistan’s interim government have emphasized that a delegation has been appointed to investigate the details of this incident further.
Since the Taliban took power in Afghanistan, a large number of Afghans have migrated to Iran and Pakistan. The influx of refugees in these two countries has led their governments to begin the process of deporting migrants.
Recently, Iran has intensified its campaign to expel Afghan migrants, a process that has sparked widespread reactions both within the country and internationally. Previously, Pakistan had also begun deporting Afghan refugees, with numerous images and videos showing the harsh and inhumane treatment of Afghan migrants during their expulsion.
