KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Iran has once again called on the Taliban to disclose the results of their investigation into the 1998 attack on its consulate in Afghanistan’s northern Balkh province, which resulted in the deaths of eight diplomats and a journalist.
In a statement on Wednesday, August 7, marking the 26th anniversary of the incident, Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Iran reserves its right to investigate the details of the “terrorist attack” and provide answers to the families of the victims and the Iranian people.
“Twenty-six years ago, after Taliban forces took over the city of Mazar-i-Sharif, the Consulate General of the Islamic Republic of Iran was attacked, in violation of moral, humanitarian, and international obligations. During this attack, Iranian diplomats and a journalist were martyred,” the ministry said.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic reserves its right to pursue the details of the terrorist attack and calls on the de facto authorities of Afghanistan [Taliban] to disclose the results of their investigation and to punish the perpetrators,” it added.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry identified the victims as Naser Rigi, Noorullah Noorzi, Karim Haidarian, Rashid Pariya Fallah, Haidar Ali Bagheri, Mohammad Ali Qiasi, Majid Noori Niyarki, Mohammad Naser Naseri, and Mahmoud Saremi.
The ministry cited UN Security Council Resolution 1267, which condemned the attack on the Iranian Consulate and the subsequent murders as a “blatant violation” of international law.
On August 8, 1998, following the Taliban’s takeover of the capital city of Mazar-e-Sharif, the Iranian Consulate General in the city was attacked, resulting in the deaths of eight diplomats and a journalist.
At that time, Iran accused the Taliban of being responsible for the attack and the killing of its diplomats. The Taliban, however, denied involvement, claiming that “renegade forces” were behind the attack.
Since then, every year, Iran’s foreign ministry has reiterated its demand to “clarify various dimensions” of the incident, which remain shrouded in mystery, including the identity of the perpetrators.
Following the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021, the Islamic Republic, unlike during the first period of Taliban rule from 1995 to 2001, pursued a more welcoming policy toward the Taliban and initiated contact with the group even before the US withdrawal from the country.
Iran was one of the few countries to keep its embassy in Kabul open after the Taliban’s return to power and handed over the Afghanistan embassy and consulates in Iran to Taliban diplomats.
Despite tensions over border issues and water rights related to the Helmand River, Iran’s engagement with the Taliban has continued to grow over the past three years.