Iran and Afghanistan have a standard border of practically a thousand kilometers, which is definitely crossable because of the geographical circumstances. Because the Taliban come to energy in 2021, Iran’s head can boil over due to this. Tehran has repeatedly complained in latest months that
The Iranian management subsequently determined on the finish of April to strengthen probably the most weak elements of its borders with Afghanistan and Pakistan within the east. Iran plans to construct a four-meter-high concrete wall protected by barbed wire over the subsequent three years, the price of which may attain three billion {dollars}. Though the Taliban authorities rejects the accusation that Afghanistan poses a safety menace to its western neighbor, it doesn’t protest the choice.
Drug dumping
Iran is historically probably the most vital receiving markets for medicine produced in Afghanistan, and it’s an unavoidable transit nation for exports to Europe. United Nations Workplace on Drug Management and Crime Prevention (UNODC) 2021 report is linked to Iran
- 91 p.c of world opium seizures,
- and 33 p.c of heroin and morphine seizures.
A big a part of the drug comes from neighboring Afghanistan, the place the manufacturing course of, from cultivation to laboratory manufacturing of the drug, is a vital business. Regardless of the Taliban ban imposed in 2022 on poppy cultivation, which is the idea of opiate derivatives, and on the manufacturing and commerce of medicine normally, opium seizures grew to become extra frequent in neighboring international locations after the novel authorities, in an effort to stop riots, allowed the export of beforehand gathered opium shares.
Within the final decade, the manufacturing of varied artificial medicine, equivalent to methamphetamine and crystal meth, additionally exhibits an growing development. In line with the March 2024 information of Iran’s Counter Narcotics Directorate (DCHQ), the quantity of artificial medicine smuggled into Iran has elevated by 20 p.c up to now 10 months.
Iran applies the precept of zero tolerance within the combat in opposition to drug trafficking, as a part of which these concerned within the smuggling and distribution of medicine are topic to the dying penalty.
The 2023 statistics point out an 18-fold improve in comparison with the 2020 figures.
Regardless of worldwide criticism, Tehran doesn’t plan to vary its felony regulation apply, the Iranian prosecutor’s workplace has repeatedly indicated up to now that members within the drug commerce can not depend on mercy.
In line with 2021 information, about 3 p.c of Iran’s inhabitants, about 2,800,000 individuals, eat some type of drug every day. The burdens on the general public well being and penitentiary system are subsequently growing, and mass consumption additionally threatens the nation’s social order. The failure of the state rehabilitation packages is proven by the truth that 80 p.c of the members in this system have relapsed.
An ever-increasing inflow of individuals
Afghan refugees have been flowing into Iran for greater than forty years. In line with UNHCR 2022 information
The inflow of Afghans continued even after the Taliban took over in 2021. In line with the estimates of the Iranian authorities, there could also be as much as 5 million Afghan residents of their nation right now, nearly all of whom wouldn’t have paperwork authorizing them to remain. Iran’s inside minister, Ahmed Vahidi in accordance with his announcement, 1.3 million Afghans had been deported from them up to now yr.
Deportations are additionally justified by safety concerns, as Iran sees a detailed connection between the specter of terrorism and irregular migration. Tehran has repeatedly accused the Taliban management of not sufficiently stopping terrorists from crossing the border between the 2 international locations. A big a part of the perpetrators of the terrorist assaults carried out in Iran in recent times entered the territory of the nation irregularly. It is likely one of the actions carried out in Kermán firstly of the yr, which precipitated the dying of greater than 100 individuals concerning the perpetrator of Tajik citizenship the Iranian authorities additionally claimed that he was a fighter of the Islamic State of Afghanistan (ISIS-Okay), who entered the territory of Iran by the “inexperienced” border within the month earlier than the bomb assault.
Little water, a lot of pressure
The water disputes between Iran and Afghanistan are associated to the Helmand River, which borders the 2 international locations on a 30-kilometer stretch. A 1973 settlement obliges Afghanistan, which is an upstream nation and subsequently in a key place from a water coverage perspective, to offer a certain quantity of water to Iran. Nonetheless, the intergovernmental settlement has not been ratified, and the monitoring mechanism has not been developed.
After the Taliban took over, the water disputes grew to become much more bitter. In line with Iran’s ambassador to Afghanistan, in 2022, Iran obtained solely 4 p.c of the quantity of water resulting from it, which severely threatens the nation’s water provide. The withholding of water impacts the japanese and southeastern provinces, that are straight threatened by drought, probably the most sensitively. In reference to the water dispute, between the border guards and troopers of the 2 international locations, there have been a number of deaths armed conflicts had been fashioned. The battle will stay unresolved till the subsequent spherical of negotiations on the water movement of the Helmand River, which is anticipated to happen in October, which carries the opportunity of renewed armed clashes alongside the border.
It’s questionable to what extent the strengthening of the widespread border part by Iran will be capable to discover a lasting answer to the risks posed by drug trafficking, irregular migration, terrorist infiltration and border crossings, as it’s going to hardly be capable to obtain a change within the coverage of the Taliban management.
Sara Kmeczkóresearcher on the Migration Analysis Institute
2024-05-25 07:59:08