Pagah: Analyst Daad Nurani asserts Iran supporting forces in border areas

Herat, October 11, 2007

Afghan observer Daad Nurani believes Iran has been supporting and organizing forces in the border areas of Afghanistan and also can’t rule out it is supplying weapons to the Taleban. He says Iran is pursing a “policy of double standards” towards Afghanistan and has a “long-term strategy” for western Afghanistan where its reconstruction projects are focused. The following is the text of an interview with the observer, published by the independent daily Pagah on 11 October; subheadings inserted editorially:

Iran has “profound influence” over Afghan politicians

[Reporter] We published an interview with [Mr Najafimanesh], the Iranian general consul in Herat, about Iran’s interference in the security of Afghanistan in the previous issue of Pagah. In that interview, Mr Najafimanesh categorically rejected his government was assisting the Afghan government’s opponents, describing the claims as a psychological war against Iran. We therefore conducted an exclusive interview with Mr Daad Nurani [an Afghan political observer]. However, our readers are the ones who should evaluate and judge [the accuracy of the official's comments]. Mr Nurani, what do you think about Iran’s interference in the security affairs of Afghanistan?

[Nurani] Well, Iran shares a 750km-long border with us and we established relations with this country long ago. Sometimes these relations were good and sometimes they were quite strained and even resulted in aggression and invasion; for instance the incident that took place during the era of President Daud Khan [the first Afghan president in office between 1974 -1979] about the controversy over the waters of Helmand [also called Hirmand]. Iran continued its interference further, particularly after the Russians invaded Afghanistan. The intervention even got stronger during the Taleban period, during which time Iran was generously helping the Afghan forces combat the Taleban. This policy nearly led to a war between the Taleban [and the Iranian government]. My guess is that Iran has already invested in certain spheres in Afghanistan and is now enjoying a profound influence over the political parties, the press and other sectors. On the one hand, the waters of Helmand River flow into Iran and on the other hand it is trying to establish transit with Central Asia [via Afghanistan]. In addition, it has decided to connect the Chah Bahar harbour with Afghanistan and also connect its roads to Tashkent via northern Afghanistan. Iran is keen to expand its influence in Afghanistan because of its geopolitical importance.

Following the Taleban’s regrouping in Afghanistan and the start of the war for the second time, Iran has been constantly supporting the Northern Alliance [jihadi parties and leaders united against the Taleban in the northern provinces and led by late commander, Ahmad Shah Masud] and has been pursuing an identical policy with Afghanistan. However, it was reluctant to do so because of its main enemy, the United States, which by now had established its military presence in the country. Iran was unable to ignore this issue. To that end, Iran has been involved in certain military activities in Afghanistan for some time. It is said that it has organized a number of military bases in the Sapidaba and the Bagh areas in the vicinity of the Shamsabad [located near the border areas] and gathered a group called Hezbollah, which were affiliated to the Iranian government during the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan. However, it is still unclear whether Iran is trying to interfere militarily in Afghanistan or prove its influence through supporting this group. We can see that Iranians have enjoyed enormous privileges from the Americans by interfering in Iraq and the USA has not reacted against Iran for quite some time. I think Iran prefers to meddle in the military activities in Afghanistan due to the fact that the Taleban may have a chance to share power with the Afghan government. In addition, the Iranian government has come to realize that the Northern Alliance, which calls itself the government opposition, has established relations with the West and this has overshadowed its ties with Iran. That is why Iran is now searching for new factions, parties and forces to have an impact on the current situation.

Iran supporting “certain” insurgents

[Reporter] Mr Nurani, there have been several reports indicating that Iran is providing weapons for the Taleban? Do you think these reports are true?

[Nurani] I can’t rule out these reports. Iran is contributing to certain groups on the border with Afghanistan. There are strong rumours according to which Iran is supporting Malawi Abdol Hamid, who is commanding the rebels in the Zer Koh area of Shindand District. Iran also had close relations with a number of Taleban leaders during their rule in western Afghanistan, including Mullah Mohammad Rasul, the former governor of Nimroz Province, who is said to be living in Iran at the moment. Malawi Faqir Ahmad Anardarayee also had close relations with Iranian officials. However, I should mention that Iran supported certain groups in the border areas rather than establishing systematic relations with the Taleban administration. Iranian politicians have always focused on the neighbouring areas. You can see that they set up construction projects, including the extension of power cables and building a number of roads, only in Nimroz, Farah and Herat. They are not interested in extending these projects beyond these provinces. I think Iranians have a long-term strategy in western Afghanistan. That is why they have chiefly concentrated on these areas and organize Hezbollah in the border areas.

Iran pursuing “a policy of double standards”

[Reporter] In an exclusive interview with Pagah, Mr Najafimanesh, the Iranian general consul [in Herat Province], said that the stability of Afghanistan is the stability of Iran. What do you think about this?

[Nurani] My guess is that they only chant slogans; for the foreign military forces will be deployed in the borders with Iran once Afghanistan enjoys stability and the foreign forces manage to control security disruption inside the country. The current situation and the current war between the Taleban and NATO and the US forces is in favour of Iran, as there will be no threat against it. Therefore, I don’t think Iranians support stability in Afghanistan.

[Reporter] But the Iranian general consul in Herat Province claims it is illogical if Iran gets involved in reconstruction projects on the one hand and interferes in the country’s security affairs on the other.

[Nurani] Well, those countries that do not have a strong presence and dominant influence generally follow a policy of double standards. With regard to Iran and in view of its current status, you can see that it is not the dominant power in the region. The US navy in the Persian Gulf is extremely dangerous for Iran. At the moment, the US airport in Turkey, the presence of the US and its allies’ 200,000 troops in Iraq, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Afghanistan may potentially create a challenge against Iran. As a result, it has no alternative but to follow a policy of double standards in Afghanistan and this might be beneficial for it, at least because of its commercial activities in Afghanistan. Currently, Iran’s [annual exports to Afghanistan] are worth 1bn dollars. A number of its factories specifically produce goods for Afghanistan. It has a long border with Afghanistan and shares many common values, including religion, culture etc. There are also certain groups that have close relations with Iran and this country is keen to continue its presence in the region. However, Iran has been trying to attract the Afghan people’s attention to Pakistan and make them believe Pakistan is their strategic enemy. In addition, it invests only in those projects that in one way or another meet its interests and therefore it has not been eager to provide funds for other projects. For instance, you can see that all those projects it has funded have overt and covert benefits to its commerce, namely the roads built in Herat, the bridge constructed in Nimroz, the power cables extended to Herat and Nimroz and the Mil-e 73 road to be constructed in Farah city. So, one cannot rely on Iran’s reconstruction projects.

[Reporter] But Iranian officials always claim all the reconstruction projects they have embarked upon in a number of provinces were proposed by the Afghan government.

[Nurani] I can’t believe this. You can see that a number of top government officials have had close relations with Iran for a long time and Iran is able to influence these officials and pretend it is the Afghan government which has suggested such projects should be carried out by Iran. I should stress that the Iranian government’s interests have been taken into account in these projects. I specifically mentioned earlier that Iran’s construction projects have obvious effects on certain areas. For instance, we cannot see that Iran has set up a reconstruction project in Paktia or Badakhshan. What has been carried out so far is restricted to the border areas.

With regard to our government’s policy towards the issue, we should accept that Iran has influence over Afghan government policies. When summoned and impeached by the parliament, Foreign Minister Dr Spanta articulated that one of the neighbouring countries, specifically Iran, had a strong role in the impeachment because the minister refused to agree with a number of its projects. I should reiterate that Iran will never invest in those projects that do not meet its interests.

[Description of Source: Herat Pagah in Dari --Sometimes critical of the government and foreign forces. OSC IAP20071013950075 0000 GMT 11 Oct 07]