TEHRAN -- Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Ground Force on Sunday assured that security prevails along Iran’s eastern boundaries, including the common border with Afghanistan.
Brigadier General Muhammad Pakpour paid a visit to the Dogarun border crossing in the Iranian city of Taybad.
He touched on the recent developments in Afghanistan, where a conflict has broken out and the Taliban have taken control of many provinces and border crossings.
The commander said he has visited the border area in person to evaluate the military preparedness of the armed units stationed in the region.
He said some smugglers and outlaws might seek to take advantage of the situation and infiltrate Iran, but any such moves would certainly draw a harsh response from Iranian forces stationed along the eastern borders.
“There is a high level of intelligence dominance over the borders and any activity with the purpose of fomenting insecurity in Iran or its surrounding areas will decisively be dealt with by the armed forces,” the commander added.
An Iranian army commander echoed his views, saying the situation is normal along the border with Afghanistan.
In an interview with IRNA, Second Brigadier General Mahmoud Mahmoudi, the commander of the army’s 30th operational headquarters in South Khorasan province bordering Afghanistan, said while some areas have been captured by the Taliban, the overall control of the country remains in the hands of the Afghan government.
Mahmoudi confirmed that the Taliban have captured some areas along Iran’s eastern borders, but stressed that Iranian army forces are stationed in the region and have everything under control.
“Given the developments in Afghanistan, full security has been provided at the border’s zero point and there is no cause for concern for people and those residing near the frontier,” he said.
“Of course, inside Afghanistan anything may happen and some places may be seized by the Taliban, but that will not affect Iranian people and armed forces, thanks to the management of the situation at the national, regional and local levels and owing to the vigilance of our military, security and border forces.”
Over the past weeks, the Taliban have overrun areas in Afghanistan bordering five countries – Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, China and Pakistan.
On Friday, the militant group claimed that it had seized control of 85 percent of Afghan territory, a declaration government officials dismissed as part of a propaganda campaign.
The Taliban gains come amid the withdrawal of U.S.-led troops from the country after two decades of war and occupation.