Army chief: Iran-Afghanistan border wall key to enhancing security
Iran's Army Chief Major General Amir Hatami on Wednesday highlighted the significance of a wall which is under construction along Iran’s border with Afghanistan, saying it will play an important role in further enhancing the country’s security.
During a visit to the country’s northeastern borders, Hatami said various measures, such as digging trenches or building berms, had been taken in the past years. But the construction of the border wall is a fundamental measure to resolve some border issues with the “neighboring and brotherly country, Afghanistan.”
The commander also reviewed the progress of the construction of the border wall which is being carried out by the Army’s Ground Forces and affirmed the Army’s full support for the project.
Iran shares more than 900 kilometers of border with Afghanistan. The 300-kilometere wall is set to be four meters high and equipped with barbed wire fencing. It is the first phase of the major project in Iran’s eastern borders, which is under construction in the Khorasan Razavi Province.
In January, Iranian military sources said 75 km of the wall had been completed so far.
According to Iranian officials, the goal is to fight illegal crossings, drug smuggling, fuel smuggling, and to enhance border-control infrastructure.
Iranian authorities see the northeastern Khorasan Razavi Province, as well as North and South Khorasan, as the top destinations for irregular migrants from Afghanistan. The region is also thought to be an entry point for terrorists.
Iran has allocated $3.3 billion for construction of the wall.