Iranian authorities have completed the construction of a 10-kilometer wall along the border with Afghanistan and plan to extend it by an additional 50 kilometers, according to Brigadier General Nozar Nemati, deputy commander of the Iranian Army's ground forces, as reported by Tehran Times.
Previously, Iran announced plans to build a 295-kilometer wall, four meters high, along this section of the state border.
Nemati emphasized that closing the border enhances security and prevents smuggling, contributing to the country's economic growth and effective management of border crossings.
«The border closure work began on the northern section of the Afghan border, where a special headquarters was established to oversee the operation. This systematic approach is being implemented with significant involvement from the army's ground forces,» stated the general.
According to Nemati, four combat engineering groups, 14 engineering units, and several combat-ready companies from various parts of the country are involved in the wall's construction.
«Five workshops are actively engaged in building the wall, and hundreds of engineering machines from the Iranian army's ground forces are working continuously to ensure timely completion of the border fortification project,» Nemati added.
The Iran-Afghanistan border stretches over 900 kilometers. Iran hosts one of the world's largest Afghan refugee populations, which increased after the Taliban* came to power in Kabul in August 2021. While Tehran does not publish official data on Afghan refugee numbers, parliamentarian Abolfazl Torabi estimates there are «six to seven million» in the country.
Dawn, citing the official Iranian news agency IRNA, reports that Afghans constitute over 90% of foreign citizens in Iran, with most entering the country without identification documents. Iranian authorities have intensified pressure on illegal refugees and regularly announce mass deportations.
*Note: The Taliban is designated as a terrorist organization and banned in Russia and many countries.
