Photo: Fars News

Iranian Diplomat: Be aware of the colonialists’ conspiracy on the Zabul-Nimruz border dispute

In the wake of the clash between Iranian border guards and the Taliban fighters at the Nimruz border point, Seyyed Rasool Mousavi, Iran’s assistant minister of foreign affairs, has referred to the events unfolding at the Zabul-Nimruz border as a continuation of a “colonialists’ conspiracy.”

In a tweet in Persian on Sunday, Mousavi urged both Iranian and Taliban officials to remain vigilant, stating, “Be alert! What is happening today on the Zabul-Nimruz border is the continuation of the colonialists’ conspiracy. If, in 1872, Goldsmith brought Sistan-Abad to its current state with his conspiracy, today his heirs are seeking the destruction of Iran and Afghanistan.”

The Iranian diplomat has called upon the people and intellectuals of both countries to be discerning, as any discord between the two countries would result in a strategic loss for both sides.

Amidst mounting tensions surrounding Helmand’s water dispute, a clash erupted between the border guards of Iran and the Taliban forces on Saturday.

Iranian news agencies reported casualties, including two soldiers killed and two others wounded, while the Taliban confirmed the loss of one of their members.

Hours after the conflict, the Taliban’s ministries of defense and interior stated that the Iranian military had started shooting toward Afghanistan. However, Iran’s deputy chief of national police force, Qasem Rezaei accused the Taliban of initiating the violence without regard for international laws and the principles of good neighborliness.

According to IRNA, Ahmad-Reza Radan, the head of Iran’s national police force, has ordered his forces to “bravely and resolutely defend Iranian borders”.

Alireza Marhamati, the deputy governor of Iran’s Sistan and Baluchestan province has said that local authorities from Iran and Taliban engaged in border talks. Both sides expressed their commitment to continuing these discussions to ascertain the root causes of the conflict and find a peaceful resolution.

Reportedly, due to the clash on Saturday, traffic has been halted at the Nimruz border crossing.