Jump to content

Afghanistan–Iran relations

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Newcorp (talk | contribs) at 03:34, 13 December 2009 (→Relations). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Iran-Afghanistan relations
Map indicating locations of Afghanistan and Iran

Afghanistan
Iran

Iran–Afghanistan relations were established when Iran was first created as a sovereign state in 1935. Afghanistan and Iran were historically tied to the greater sphere of Persian civilization.

Historical context

Afghanistan shares a long and intertwined history with Iran. There are also deep ties in language, its people and culture. As an eastern dialect of Persian, Dari Persian is the dominant language of Afghanistan, especially in terms of education and business. Despite such close ties, Afghanistan's relations with Iran have fluctuated in modern times, namely due to the control of the country by the Taliban in the 1990s and with periodic disputes over the water rights of the Helmand River as the current main issue of contention.

Relations

Following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, which Iran opposed, relations deteriorated. The Iranian consulate in Herat closed, as did the Afghan consulate in Mashad. The Iranians complained of periodic border violations following the Soviet invasion. In 1985, they urged feuding Afghan Shi'a resistance groups to unite and oppose the Soviet-backed government of Afghanistan. Iran supported the cause of the Afghan resistance and provided limited financial and military assistance to rebel leaders who pledged loyalty to the Iranian vision of Islamic revolution. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), about a million Afghan refugees live in Iran.[1]

Following the emergence of the Taliban and their harsh treatment of Afghanistan's Shi'a minority, Iran stepped up assistance to the Northern Alliance. Relations with the Taliban deteriorated further in 1998 after Taliban forces seized the Iranian consulate in Mazari Sharif and executed Iranian diplomats.

Following this incident, Iran almost went to war with the Taliban regions of Afghanistan but intervention by the United Nations Security Council and the United States prevented an imminent Iranian invasion.

Since 2001, the new government has engaged in cordial relations with both Iran and the United States, even as relations between the United States and Iran have grown strained due to American objections to Iran's nuclear program. However, Iran’s strained relations with the United States have not prevented Tehran from strengthening its economic and trade cooperation with Kabul. Iran was a key factor in the overthrow of the Taliban and has since helped revive Afghanistan's economy and infrastructure.[2]

Iran has built some roads, power transmission lines, and border stations, among other infrastructure projects which would better link the two nations. Furthermore, trade between the two nations has increased dramatically since the overthrow of the Taliban in 2001. Iran and Afghanistan plan on building a new rail line connected Mashhad to Herat and, eventually, Tehran to Kabul.[3]

Many US politicians and military officials as well as some Afghan law makers believe that Iran is meddling in Afghanistan by playing a double game.[4][5][6][7][8][9] Iran usually denies these accusations, and the Afghan government under Hamid Karzai has denied these accusations as well, calling Iran a "helpful brother and partner to Afghanistan."[10]

Trade

In 2009 Iran was the fourth largest investor in Afghanistan. Iranian investments have been made on construction of roads and bridges, energy, agriculture and health care.[11]

According to the chairman of Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries Iran’s exports to Afghanistan in 2008 stands at $800 million. IRNA quoted Mohammad Qorban Haqju as saying that Iran imported $4 million worth of products like fresh and dried fruits, minerals, precious stones, and spices from the neighboring country. He said that Iran exported oil products, cement, construction material, carpets, home appliances, and detergents.[12] Iran imported nuts, carpets, agricultural products as well as handicrafts from Afghanistan. Afghanistan imports 90 percent of its needs, except agricultural products.[13]

References

  1. ^ Pajhwok Afghan News, 100,000 refugees return home, September 29, 2009
  2. ^ http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/KC13Ak03.html
  3. ^ http://www.asiaplus.tj/en/news/33/34692.html
  4. ^ http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0808/p06s01-wosc.htm
  5. ^ http://paktribune.com/news/index.shtml?187138
  6. ^ http://ncr-iran.org/content/view/6128/1/
  7. ^ http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,548622,00.html
  8. ^ http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Central_Asia/EF21Ag02.html
  9. ^ http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2009/06/human-terrain-probes-irans-influence-in-afghanistan/
  10. ^ http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=12555916
  11. ^ http://www.iran-daily.com/1388/3475/html/economy.htm
  12. ^ http://www.iran-daily.com/1387/3273/html/economy.htm
  13. ^ http://www.iran-daily.com/1388/3436/html/economy.htm
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Afghanistan–Iran_relations&oldid=331369478"