NOURNEWS - Unfortunately, over the past two months, two suspicious incidents have prompted opportunists to disrupt relations between Iran and Afghanistan.
In the first incident that took place more than 40 days ago, according to the Afghan side, a number of Afghan citizens who were trying to enter our country illegally drowned in the Harirod River.
In that incident, which was widely covered by the Persian-language opposition media, Iran made every effort from the very beginning to determine the full and exact dimensions of the issue, regardless of the media hype and the reality of the story.
The second incident, however; On June 5, a car carrying Afghan nationals illegally entered the country and was being transported to other cities by human traffickers, after the police became suspicious and the driver didn't notice what was happening, he was hit by the bullet from behind the wheel, and due to the very high speed, it finally caught fire after 8 km due to the friction of the car's rim with the asphalt, and several of its occupants were killed and injured.
This incident was immediately turned into a heavy wave against our country by the opposition media and some related accounts on social networks, and unfortunately, as in the previous case, it created an emotional atmosphere with the non-diplomatic reaction of the Afghan officials.
Meanwhile, in the previous incident, while expressing sympathy with the victims of the accident, the Iranian authorities made every effort to investigate the matter in a common way and away from the false emotions instigated by the biased media, but unfortunately a current within Afghanistan prevented this significant matter to be justified.
Given the existence of numerous documents and evidences in rejecting any legal or moral shortcoming by Iranian agents and, of course, the not-so-friendly stances of Afghan officials, which do not seem to be related to the pressure of some countries opposed to Iran, Here are some considerations:
First; The issue of respect for foreign nationals in Iran, especially the people of Afghanistan, as neighbors of both language and culture, has always been considered by the Iranian authorities and people. It should not be overlooked that Afghan immigrants living in Iran, like an Iranian citizen, enjoy all human and civil rights, including education, health, free education, social services, hidden subsidies, etc., so much so that the Leader of the Revolution even ordered the creation of them years ago. They also provided education for illegal immigrant children.
Second; An investigation into the Harirod incident has been conducted carefully, and today the commander of the NAJA, Sardar Hossein Ashtari, reiterated the incident in the border area of Harirod, saying: In the absence of cooperation with the expert committee, it is felt that there is virtually no intention to jointly examine the available evidence and clarify the dimensions of the incident. "The sinking of several Afghan nationals on the Afghan border and on Afghan soil has nothing to do with the border, and the investigation revealed that there was no negligence on the part of the Iranian border guards."
The official position of the highest law enforcement official of Iran, along with the extensive and numerous investigations carried out by the responsible institutions in this regard, shows the importance of recent events for Iran, but what we are facing these days is the sharp statements of Afghan officials about these incidents and the shift in the position of creditors and debtors in recent events.
Third; Afghan officials need to be reminded that the solution to such problems lies in friendly and joint cooperation between the two countries, away from media controversy and the incitement of common enemies seeking to disrupt relations between the two neighbors. Foreign services have shown over the years that they are looking for an opportunity to disrupt strategic relations between Iran and its neighbors, including Afghanistan, and to create a false crisis over warm relations between the two countries. For this reason, the political authorities should be careful not to get involved in the game designed by the enemies and act independently to resolve the ambiguities and take joint measures to prevent similar incidents.
Fourth; Both incidents, which have led to sensitivities in both countries, are related to the common theme of the illegal entry of Afghan nationals into Iranian territory. In this regard, it should be noted that border crossings must be controlled by both countries, and the NAJA border guards will perform their duties in accordance with domestic and international law. Meanwhile, Afghan border guards have refused to perform their duties in this area under false pretenses.
It should not be overlooked that the illegal crossing of a country's borders is a crime anywhere in the world, and that all border guards around the world are preventing it from happening. At the same time, Iran has the right to defend its borders carefully and sensitively in order to prevent the entry of drugs, terrorist groups, and so on.
Fifth; Since the principle of morality and protection of human rights has always been a principle and priority for Iran, a thorough investigation was conducted in the Iranian border to deal with any violations or shortcomings by Iranian officials in accordance with the law, and accordingly, it was determined that any error or negligence on the part of Iran is eliminated, so it is obvious that the Afghan government must also present and pursue its claims by presenting court-friendly documents and evidence.
Sixth; Naturally, such not-so-constructive behavior on the part of Afghan officials could complicate matters and, over time, jeopardize the psychological security of millions of Afghan refugees living in Iran.
In the end, it should be noted that in the post-revolutionary years, Iran was the best host for its eastern neighbors, and this can be clearly seen in society. The presence of official Afghan citizens in work and study environments alongside the Iranian people confirms that Iran has always been a safe destination for its neighbors based on the principle of altruism and honoring its neighbors, and this approach has no similarity in other countries claiming to defend the rights of immigrants.
NOURNEWS