The Afghanistan-Iran Entente: A Historical And Geopolitical Nexus

Afghanistan and Iran have a long history together, sharing a 585-mile frontier and a millennia-long connection. The two countries established official relations in 1935, but their ties go back much further. Afghanistan was part of many Persian Empires, and the two countries share ethnic, linguistic, and religious links. Many Afghans speak Persian, and Dari, an eastern dialect of Persian, is one of Afghanistan's official languages. Additionally, many Afghans celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year.

Despite their shared history and cultural ties, Afghanistan and Iran have had a complicated relationship. Since the Iranian Revolution in 1979 and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Iran has viewed Afghanistan as a haven for Sunni extremists and a potential threat to its security. At the same time, Iran has been a significant influence in Afghanistan, investing in proxies and working to expand its power in the region.

Afghanistan and Iran share a 585-mile frontier and have historical connections

Afghanistan and Iran's historical connections are evident in the many Afghans who speak Persian, as Dari (an eastern dialect of Persian) is one of the official languages of Afghanistan. Many Afghans also celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year.

The two countries' historical connections can also be seen in their shared history. Afghanistan was part of many Persian Empires, including the Achaemenid and Sasanian dynasties. The regions that encompass modern-day Afghanistan were considered an integral part of Iran by the 11th-century poet Firdawsi in his Shahnameh.

The first Iranian Safavid Shah, Shah Ismail I, conquered large parts of what is now Afghanistan. For centuries, the Safavids ruled the region, initially without any problems with their non-Shia subjects. However, their policy towards non-Shia subjects worsened over time, leading to wars between the Shia Safavids and the larger Sunnis, particularly in the Old Kandahar region.

In the 18th century, Mirwais Hotak, a well-respected Sunni Ghilzai Pashtun tribal chief, defeated the declining Safavids and declared southern Afghanistan a completely independent country. His son, Mahmud, conquered Persia for a short time in 1722.

Despite the complicated relationship between Afghanistan and Iran, there are strong cultural ties between the two nations that extend thousands of years.

Iran has been accused of providing weapons to the Taliban

In 2015, a Taliban commander in central Afghanistan named Abdullah claimed that Iran supplied the group with weapons and ammunition, as well as a monthly salary of $580. Afghan and Western officials have also alleged that Tehran has quietly increased its supply of weapons, ammunition, and funding to the Taliban.

In 2018, Afghan forces accused Iran of presenting the Taliban with arms and money, although Iran denied the accusation. A report by the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point also claimed that Iranian-made armaments were discovered in the hands of Taliban fighters.

In 2023, a top Afghan military official, Lieutenant General Mohammad Sharif Yaftali, stated that the Kabul government had evidence that Iran was providing weapons and other military assets to the Taliban in western Afghanistan. Additionally, the National Resistance Front (NRF) of Afghanistan has also accused Iran of providing economic and military assistance to the Taliban.

Despite these accusations, Iran's exact intentions and influence in Afghanistan remain ambiguous and difficult to analyze.

Iran and Afghanistan have religious and cultural ties

Iran and Afghanistan have a long history of religious and cultural ties. The two countries share a border and several religious, linguistic, and ethnic groups, creating cultural overlaps. An eastern dialect of Persian, Dari, is one of the official dialects of Afghanistan. Many in Afghanistan celebrate Nowruz, a pre-Islamic Iranian spring celebration.

Afghanistan is predominantly Sunni Muslim (80 percent), but it has a sizeable Shia minority (19 percent), which constitutes roughly 6.2 million people. The Hazara, a Persian-speaking ethnic group concentrated mainly in central Afghanistan, with major communities in western Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan, makes up a large portion of Afghanistan's Shia community. Iran, a Shia-majority country, shares ethnic, linguistic, and religious links with millions of Afghan Shi'a, particularly with Afghanistan's Shi'a-minority Hazara community.

Historically, Iran and Afghanistan have had commonalities in language, mythology, and history, which have resulted in opportunities for flourishing in cultural diplomacy. During the reign of King Amanullah Khan in Afghanistan and the Qajar dynasty in Iran, the two countries signed a treaty of friendship in 1921. Despite periods of tension, such as the break in ties in September 1961, the relationship between Iran and Afghanistan has been largely stable.

Iran has played a significant role in Afghanistan's post-Taliban development, contributing to the country's economy and infrastructure. Iran has been a major investor in Afghanistan, particularly in road construction, agriculture, healthcare, and energy supply distribution. Iran's contributions are primarily aimed at developing Afghan Shi'a communities, and it also influences political parties represented by ethnic Tajiks. However, Iran's connections with the Taliban have also been noted, with discoveries of Iranian-made armaments in the hands of Taliban fighters.

Iran has been a large source of foreign direct investment in Afghanistan

Afghanistan and Iran have a long history together, sharing a relatively long border and millennia of cultural ties. Afghanistan was part of many Persian Empires, and the two countries established official relations in 1935.

Iran's influence in Afghanistan is largely due to its investment in the country. Iran has also been involved in the country's politics, supporting anti-Taliban forces and working with the US to establish a post-Taliban government in 2001. However, Iran has also been accused of providing weapons to the Taliban and playing a "double game" in Afghanistan.

Iran's investment in Afghanistan is driven by its desire to create an economic sphere of influence in the country, particularly in the Herat region, which was historically considered an "integral part" of Iran. Iran seeks to become a powerful strategic focal point for the transport and shipment of goods and services, linking the Persian Gulf, Central Asia, and the Far East.

In addition to its economic ambitions, Iran also has security interests in Afghanistan. Iran has fought against the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISK) in Afghanistan by sending its Fatemiyoun Brigade, which has recruited Afghan Shia fighters. Iran also seeks to limit the influence of the US in the region and has been accused of supporting the Taliban to counter US influence.

Despite their complicated relationship, Iran and Afghanistan continue to have strong economic ties. Iran is Afghanistan's biggest trading partner, and their shared border facilitates trade and the movement of goods between the two countries.

Iran has supported anti-US insurgents in Afghanistan

Iran has been accused of supporting anti-US insurgents in Afghanistan. In 2001, the US invaded Afghanistan to overthrow the Taliban regime, which had provided sanctuary to al-Qaeda. The Taliban had risen from the ashes of Afghanistan's post-Soviet civil war and had provided sanctuary to al-Qaeda.

Iran has been accused of providing weapons to the Taliban. In 2009, British military forces intercepted shipments of Iranian-made arms in Helmand Province. Iranian-made rocket-propelled grenades have been found by US troops in villages where the Taliban sought sanctuary. In 2009, Afghan security forces found a cache of Iranian-made explosives near the Bakhshabad Dam in Farah Province. In 2009, Afghan police found explosives-packed jerrycans during a search of Taliban fighters travelling on the Bagram-Kabul highway.

In 2009, General Stanley A. McChrystal, the commander of US forces in Afghanistan, cited Iran's "ambiguous role" in the country, stating that Iran is providing aid to the Afghan government while at the same time allowing weapons to pass into the hands of the Taliban. US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has also accused Tehran of playing a "double game" in Afghanistan.

In 2010, Iran hosted delegations from the Afghan government and the Taliban in a bid to quickly fill the diplomatic gap created by departing US forces while also communicating its security concerns. In 2011, Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei reportedly gave Qasem Soleimani, the commander of Iran's Quds Force, a forty-eight-hour window to capture Herat and draw Taliban resources there, enabling the Northern Alliance to take Kabul and then link up with the Iranians in Herat. However, the operation was eventually abandoned.

In 2021, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo accused Iran of undermining the Afghan peace process by using militant groups in the country.

In 2021, the Taliban took control of Afghanistan. The episode has turned into a classic lesson in "be careful what you wish for". Iran is glad the Americans are gone, but the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan creates a host of problems for Tehran, with no easy solutions.

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