Iran starts construction of a wall on the border with Afghanistan and Pakistan

22 October, 2024 Iran. Illustrative image Iran has started building barriers along its borders with Pakistan and Afghanistan to reduce security threats.

TRT reported on this. The project aims to prevent drug trafficking, fuel and goods smuggling, and illegal migration. It is noted that according to Iranian security services, Iran's borders with Pakistan and Afghanistan account for 80% of drug trafficking into the country.

The wall will be four meters high and almost 300 kilometers long. Construction has already started in the southern part of Sistan and Baluchestan provinces, as well as Razavi Khorasan.

A Chieftain tank in Iran. Photo from the media

In the future, the barrier will be built in the provinces of Ilam, Kurdistan, and Western Azerbaijan.

The state funds the construction of the wall, and now the main efforts of the Iranians are aimed at equipping construction sites. Back in early 2021, Iran began building a similar barrier on its border with Afghanistan. About 60 km of the wall was built, although the total length of the border between the two countries is more than 900 km.

Iran first started discussing the construction of barriers in January this year after the high-profile terrorist attacks in Kerman and Sistan-Baluchestan. Tehran says it wants to build the fence to prevent terrorist groups from entering from neighboring Pakistan and Afghanistan. At the same time, regional media note that this initiative has caused controversy with the Afghan authorities, whose representatives claim that closing the border is possible only with the consent of the parties.

They also noted that Iran did not ask Kabul's opinion at the beginning of constructing the barriers on the border.

In addition, amid the wall construction, negotiations between Iran and Afghanistan are also ongoing over the Helmand River's water resources.

The main question is how the construction of the barriers will affect the use of the waterway and access to water on both sides of the border.