Army Chief: No Threat to Iran From Afghanistan

Date: 14 July 2021 - 21:49

News ID: ۹۲۴۶۰

TEHRAN -- The chief commander of Iran’s Army said Wednesday the ongoing developments in neighboring Afghanistan do not pose the slightest threat to the country as borders are under surveillance using high-tech electronic equipment.
“Our Armed Forces are in the best condition and have been preparing for the biggest threats for years, and the recent events in Afghanistan do not pose any threat to our country,” Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi said.
He made the remarks as he visited the Dowqarun border in the southeast of the country to assess military units and closely inspect the military, vehicular, relief and electronic equipment of the army units deployed in the border area.
The senior commander said the country’s Armed Forces are well capable of handling security issues emanating from certain developments in Iran’s neighboring countries.
“More than 90 percent of the borders are monitored by various electronic systems, sensors, cameras and drones,” he said, adding that the information received is analyzed and decided accordingly.
Mousavi said land, sea and air borders are controlled by the country’s Armed Forces using “up-to-date systems.”
The commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC)’s Ground Force says Iran’s eastern border with Afghanistan is totally calm and secure despite the ongoing conflict between the country’s government and the Taliban militant group.
“Despite the ongoing war in Afghanistan, no incident worthy of mention has so far happened along Iran’s common border with this country, and full security and calm prevail along the eastern border with Afghanistan,” Brigadier General Muhammad Pakpour said on Sunday during a visit to Iran’s common border with Afghanistan and after inspection of military units stationed there.
The remarks come as over the past weeks, the Taliban have overrun areas in Afghanistan bordering five countries – Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, China and Pakistan.
The militant group claimed on Wednesday that it has captured the strategic border crossing of Spin Boldak along the frontier with Pakistan, continuing its sweeping gains.
However, Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman Tareq Arian told AFP that while there had been “some movements near the border... security forces have repelled the attack.”
The Taliban gains come amid the stepped up withdrawal of US-led troops from the country after two decades of war and occupation.
President Joe Biden has set September 11 as the deadline for the US’ full exit from Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, Iran’s special envoy for Afghanistan, Mohammad Ebrahim Taherian Fard, has emphasized the need to resolve the current crisis in Afghanistan through peaceful means and to prevent a civil war in the country.
The Iranian diplomat made the remarks in a telephone call with former Afghan president Hamid Karzai on Wednesday, during which the two sides discussed the latest security developments in Afghanistan and the state of intra-Afghan talks between warring sides in Afghanistan.
An Afghan official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, has said a high-powered Afghanistan government delegation is to meet the Taliban in Qatar to jumpstart a long-stalled peace process.
The Taliban group is expected to bring its senior leaders to the table when the two sides meet, possibly on Friday, added the official.
The Doha talks will be led by senior government official Abdullah Abdullah, who heads Afghanistan’s reconciliation council. Karzai is also expected to be among the delegates.