The Complex Dynamics Of Iran-Afghanistan Relations

Afghanistan and Iran have had a long and complex relationship. The two countries have a 585-mile frontier and connections that span millennia. Afghanistan was part of many Persian Empires, and many Afghans speak Persian as Dari, an eastern dialect of Persian, is one of the official languages of Afghanistan.

Since the Iranian Revolution in 1979, relations between the two countries have been strained by Iran's interference in Afghanistan through proxies, ideological differences, and the growing influence of the United States in Afghanistan. Despite this, the two countries have collaborated on issues such as establishing a new Afghan government free of the Taliban after the 9/11 attacks.

In recent years, there have been efforts to improve relations, with Iran investing in schools and media outlets in Afghanistan and playing a crucial role in intra-Afghan negotiations. However, tensions persist over border issues, refugee status, and economic competition.

Afghanistan and Iran have a long history, with relations first established in 1935

Today, Afghanistan and Iran share a 585-mile frontier and strong cultural ties. Dari, an eastern dialect of Persian, is one of the official languages of Afghanistan, and many Afghans celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year.

However, relations between the two countries have been complicated by differing religious and political ideologies, as well as the influence of external powers. Afghanistan is predominantly Sunni, while Iran is Shi'a. In the 1990s, the Taliban government repressed Afghanistan's Shi'a Hazaras, excluding them politically and economically, and killing over 1,000 during the civil war that erupted after the Soviet withdrawal in 1989. Tensions escalated in 1998 when the Taliban killed nine Iranian diplomats in Mazar-i-Sharif.

Despite this, Iran played a pivotal role in the formation of a post-Taliban government in 2001, working closely with the United States and regional powers to establish a new Afghan government free of the Taliban. However, as U.S. and NATO forces remained in Afghanistan, Iran's relationship with the Taliban shifted. Viewing the Taliban as a useful tool to counter U.S. influence on its borders, Iran provided Taliban forces with military equipment.

In recent years, Iran has been accused of playing a "double game" in Afghanistan, supporting the Afghan government while also providing assistance to the Taliban. Iran has also been criticized for its tough immigration policies, which have hastened the repatriation of Afghan asylum seekers.

Since the Taliban retook control of Afghanistan in 2021, relations between the two countries have developed, despite some differences. Iran has maintained a degree of cooperation with the Taliban, and the two countries have found common ground in their opposition to the Islamic State's local affiliate in Afghanistan. However, tensions persist over water rights, trade, and the Taliban's treatment of Shi'a minorities.

Afghanistan and Iran share a 585-mile border

The border between the two countries was formalised in the period 1872-1935 by a series of third-party arbitrations, stemming from the Treaty of Paris (1857) in which Persia and Afghanistan agreed to refer any dispute between them to Britain for arbitration. A rough delimitation was proposed in 1872 by a committee headed by Sir Frederic John Goldsmid following a line from Banda to Kuh-i-Malik Siah (a hill at the modern Afghanistan-Iran-Pakistan tripoint) via the Helmand River.

The Goldsmid boundary proved inadequate, especially given the shifting of the course of the Helmand River, and thus a more precise boundary was drawn up in three sections over the following decades: the northern section by General C.S. MacLean, British consul general for Khorasan and Sīstān, in 1888-91; the southern section by Colonel Sir Henry McMahon in 1903-05; and finally, the middle section by Turkey's General Fahrettin Altay in 1934-35. After each demarcation, boundary pillars were erected, leading to a total of 172 pillars in the non-riverine sections of the border.

The boundary itself was not disputed after 1935, however, disputes over the allocation of water resources in the region rumbled on for many years and were not finally resolved until 1973.

In recent years, the two countries have clashed over the sharing of water from the Helmand River, which flows from Afghanistan towards eastern Iran. In May 2023, deadly clashes broke out between Afghan and Iranian guards at their border, raising fears of a new conflict.

Iran has a complicated relationship with Afghanistan, with Tehran viewing Kabul as a haven for Sunni extremists

Iran and Afghanistan have had relations for millennia, but they were officially established in 1935 during the reign of the Kingdom's Zahir Shah and the Pahlavi dynasty's Reza Shah Pahlavi. While the two countries have a relatively strong relationship today, there are still some tensions.

Since the 1990s, Iran has viewed Afghanistan as a haven for Sunni extremists. The Taliban, a Sunni extremist group, seized power from Afghan warlords in the mid-1990s and ruled until the US and NATO intervention in 2001. The Taliban's harsh treatment of Afghanistan's minorities, particularly the Shia Hazara community, has been a source of conflict with Iran, which is a Shia-dominant country. In 1998, the Taliban killed nine Iranian diplomats working at a consulate in northern Mazar-i-Sharif, leading to heightened tensions.

After the 9/11 attacks and the US invasion of Afghanistan, Iran worked with the US and other regional powers to establish a new Afghan government free of the Taliban. However, as US and NATO forces remained in Afghanistan, Iran's relationship with the Taliban shifted. Tehran viewed the Taliban as a useful tool to counter US influence on its borders and provided them with military equipment.

In recent years, there have been efforts to improve relations between Iran and Afghanistan. Iran has supported the formation of an inclusive government in Afghanistan that represents all ethnic and religious groups. Additionally, the two countries have economic ties, with Iran being Afghanistan's biggest trading partner. However, tensions persist over issues such as water rights, border security, and the treatment of refugees.

The complex dynamics between Iran and Afghanistan are further complicated by the presence of other regional and international actors, including the US, Russia, China, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia. Iran's opposition to the US military presence in Afghanistan and its support for the Taliban have been points of contention with the US.

Iran has supported the Hazara, a Shia minority in Afghanistan

Historically, the Hazara have been the target of brutal violence and discrimination in Afghanistan. In the late 19th century, Pashtun ruler Abdur Rahman Khan waged a war against the Hazara, resulting in massacres, enslavement, and the transfer of Hazara land to Pashtun tribes. This persecution continued into the 20th century, with Hazara facing social, economic, and political discrimination. During the Taliban's rule from 1996 to 2001, the group committed atrocities against the Hazara, including massacres and systematic discrimination.

Iran, as a Shia-dominant country, has a strong connection to the Hazara and has sought to protect them from persecution. During the civil war in the 1990s, Iran supported the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance, which included Hazara groups. Iran also hosts millions of Hazara refugees who have fled Afghanistan. Additionally, Iran has been accused of dispatching young Hazara refugees to fight on behalf of the Assad regime in Syria as part of the Fatemiyoun Division.

The relationship between Iran and the Taliban has been complex and marked by periods of tension and cooperation. In 1998, the Taliban allegedly killed nine Iranian diplomats within the Iranian consulate in Mazar-i-Sharif, nearly leading to war between the two countries. However, in recent years, Iran and the Taliban have appeared to put aside their differences and engage in politically rational calculations. Iran has sought to expand its influence in Afghanistan and views the Taliban as a potential tool to counter U.S. influence in the region.

Despite the improving relationship between Iran and the Taliban, the Hazara remain vulnerable to persecution and violence. Since the Taliban's return to power in 2021, there have been reports of attacks on Hazara cultural symbols and forced evictions of Hazara families from their ancestral homes. The Taliban has also failed to include any Hazara representatives in its government, raising concerns about the group's commitment to protecting the rights of minorities.

Overall, Iran's support for the Hazara has been a significant factor in Afghanistan's complex political landscape. While Iran has sought to protect the Hazara as a Shia minority, the group continues to face challenges and threats to their safety and well-being in Afghanistan.

Iran and Afghanistan have a history of cooperation, including working together to establish a new Afghan government free of the Taliban

Iran and Afghanistan have a long history of cultural ties and a shared border. The two countries have had an official relationship since 1935, but this has been complicated by the Iranian Revolution in 1979 and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in the same year.

Iran has long been opposed to the presence of US forces in Afghanistan and has sought to preserve its interests in the country. Iran has a history of ideological differences and political rivalry with the Taliban, and during the Taliban regime in the late 1990s, Iran supported the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance.

However, Iran's relationship with the Taliban has shifted over time. After the 9/11 attacks, Iran worked with the US and other regional powers to establish a new Afghan government free of the Taliban. But as US and NATO forces remained in Afghanistan, Tehran began to view the Taliban as a useful tool to counter US influence on its borders.

Despite this complex relationship, Iran has a history of cooperation with Afghanistan. Following the Taliban's harsh treatment of Afghanistan's minorities, Iran stepped up assistance to the Northern Alliance. Iran is also a large source of foreign direct investment in Afghanistan and provides assistance in critical national infrastructure, road construction, energy supplies, and agricultural and communications development.

In recent years, Iran has been publicly redefining its relations with the Taliban, and in 2015, relations between Tehran and the Taliban began to attract international attention. Iran has gradually made its contacts with the Taliban public, justifying it as an effort to reconcile rival interests in a neighboring country.

In summary, Iran and Afghanistan have a history of cooperation, and this includes working together to establish a new Afghan government free of the Taliban following the 9/11 attacks. However, the relationship between the two countries remains complex and ambiguous, with Iran pursuing a delicate game of both working with and deterring the Taliban.

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