Jalil Rahimi Jahanabadi, Member Of Iranian Majles' National Security And Foreign Policy Committee On Recent Border Clashes With Afghan Taliban: We Need To Adopt A Strong, Resolute Policy

Jalil Rahimi Jahanabadi, a member of the Iranian Majles' National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, said in a May 28, 2023 interview on SNN.ir (Iran) that the recent clashes between Iranian border security forces and Taliban forces (which resulted in the death of three Iranian border patrol officers) are part of a "series of challenges" with the Taliban in recent weeks. He said that Iran must rethink its policy toward the Taliban, which he said has been friendly in accordance with the regime's instructions and despite the opposition of the Majles and Iran's security community. He said that the Taliban is not a unified government and instead consists of several decentralized and competing groups that each behave differently and do not respect border protocols. In addition, he said that the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee will be meeting with Iranian Ambassador to Afghanistan Hassan Kazemi Qomi to discuss relations with the Taliban, and he added: "We will try to adopt a strong and resolute policy towards the Taliban."

Jalil Rahimi Jahanabadi: "The recent incident is part of the series of challenges with Taliban in the past few weeks. It took place on our border in the Zabol and Helmand area. The Taliban started border clashes and fired shots at our border control station, and crossed our border illegally. Our border officers responded bravely and powerfully to the Taliban's shootings.

"In my opinion, based on what has happened, we have to rethink our policy towards the Taliban. As you know, we have treated the Taliban in a very friendly manner. Even regarding the Afghan Embassy in Tehran, despite our opposition in the National Security Committee [of Majles], and the opposition of other security circles to have such interactions with the Taliban, but since it was the regime's decision, we agreed to hand over the Afghan Embassy to the Taliban.

"Taliban's actions show tat we need to rethink our initial policy toward them. Unfortunately, the Taliban is not a government, it is a collection of groups in which whoever wakes up earlier in the morning can take up part of the power in it."

Interviewer: "We are not facing a central, distinct government."

Jahanabadi: "Unfortunately, we are not facing a central, distinct government. We are facing decentralized groups that each have their own rules and behaviors. They are not familiar with border protocols and rules. They do not know how to treat the border patrol of their neighboring country. Hence, they create these issues and problems for us.

"Today we are meeting in the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, with Mr. Kazemi Qomi, our Ambassador to Afghanistan to analyze this issue. We will certainly oversee the reaction of our foreign affairs administration in this regard. Lives of Iranian children, our border control officers, and our territorial integrity are important to us. Undoubtedly, we will try o adopt a strong and resolute policy toward the Taliban, inshallah."