Why is the conflict between Iran and Pakistan increasing over the Taliban?

Posted on 15th Sep 2021 by rohit kumar

Iran is an important country among the six neighboring countries of Afghanistan.

 

Iran is also apprehensive since the command of Afghanistan came into the hands of the Taliban. Iran is not only apprehensive of the Taliban but is also concerned about the growing influence of Pakistan in Afghanistan.

 

The news agency Reuters quoted a senior Gulf Arab official as saying that if the conflict starts over Afghanistan, then China-Pakistan will be on one side and India, Russia, Iran on one side. The Foreign Minister of Iran has also talked to the Foreign Minister of India S Jaishankar regarding Afghanistan.

 

According to the Tehran Times, on September 12, an Iranian parliamentarian said that Pakistani intelligence agency ISI chief Faiz Hamid was involved in the Taliban's violent action in the Panjshir Valley.

 

The Iranian MP also said that the ISI chief had a role in the formation of the Taliban cabinet. He had said that Iran would not allow Pakistan to ensure a US role in Afghanistan.

 

Such remarks are coming not only from Iran but also from the Taliban. On Tuesday, Taliban spokesman Syed Zarqullah Hashmi targeted Iran during a debate on Tolo News TV, saying, "In the last 40 years there has been no Sunni minister in Iran. We never said that we will not give any posts to Shia. There is no Shia minister in our cabinet, it does not mean that Shias will not get any posts.

 

The video clip of this remark of Hashmi has been tweeted by South Asia Media Research Institute.

 

opposition to Pakistan

India's well-known strategic expert Brahma Chelani has questioned the US silence on Pakistan's role in Afghanistan and expressed sympathy with Iran. Brahma Chelani tweeted, "For America, Iran is a country that promotes state-sponsored terrorism, but Saudi Arabia is the largest funder of jihadists in the world and Pakistan is the refuge of terrorists, they are their partners. . interestingly, Iran is speaking on the brutality of Taliban in Panjshir and America is silent.

 

Abdul Basit, who was Pakistan's High Commissioner to India, has called Iran's stand on the Taliban disappointing for Pakistan. In one of his video blogs, Abdul Basit has said, "Iran has accused Pakistan that the Pakistani Air Force was involved in the occupation of Panjshir province. Iran's government also allowed protests outside the Pakistani embassy in Tehran. The protesters said that Pakistan is supporting the Taliban.

 

Why is Iran doing this?

Expressing disappointment with Iran, Abdul Basit said, "Iran should speak anything very cautiously in this matter. Pakistan has been very sensitive about its relations with Iran. We remember the date of April 18, 2015. The Pakistani parliament had passed a resolution not to take sides between Saudi and Iran in the Yemen conflict. Iran should remember that Pakistan has always tried to maintain a balance between Saudi Arabia and it. We have tried to build a bridge between the two countries. But Iran has not been liberal with Pakistan since the Islamic Revolution in 1979.

 

Accusing Iran, Abdul Basit said, "Iran has been promoting community strife not only in Pakistan but in this case it has done the same in West Asia and the Middle East. Even in the matter of Kashmir, Iran's stand has been in favor of India. However, the Supreme Leader of Iran stated in favor of Kashmiris. But Tehran did not go beyond these few statements.

 

Basit said, "Our government should talk to Tehran on this matter. If Iran has any problem with Pakistan, then it should talk to our government privately. Pakistan wants good relations with Iran, but it cannot be one-sided. Pakistan cannot do this on its own. Iran's concern is bound to increase with the arrival of the Taliban. But it is a matter of concern that Iran seems to be more comfortable with India.

 

Basit said, "Iran is with India on Chabahar. We see Iran as a Muslim country. We are a Sunni-majority country, but we are united in the cause of Pakistan's national interest. Iran should be cautious about this in the future.

 

Pakistan's growing opposition

Not only is Iran looking suspiciously at Pakistan's role in Afghanistan, but in Kabul also people took to the streets raising slogans of Pakistan Murdabad. The Taliban had fired in the air against these protesters.

 

The Hazara community accounts for 10 to 20 percent of the population of Afghanistan. Their population is traditionally in the Hazarat region of central Afghanistan. The Hazaras are a significant minority in Afghanistan's total population of 38 million.

 

There are people of the Hazara community in Pakistan too and there is a Hazara diaspora in western countries too. Hazaras are also Muslims and mostly Shia. Sunni Muslims have the largest population in the world. The Taliban have been targeting the Hazara community in Afghanistan.

 

The Taliban has been active against the Hazara community not only in Afghanistan but also in Pakistan. Hazaras have always been a victim of discrimination in Afghanistan, and with the Taliban coming to power once again, Iran's concerns about Shia Muslims and Sunni extremism have increased.