Iran pursuing border diplomacy with Pakistan, Afghanistan: Interior minister

The Iranian interior minister highlights the strategic significance of the country’s southeastern frontiers, saying the Tehran administration is pursuing an agenda to promote border diplomacy with neighboring Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Addressing a ceremony in Iran’s Sistan and Balouchestan Province, Ahmad Vahidi said the country’s southeastern borders provide a “golden opportunity” to enhance export and, at the same time, import much-needed goods.

He said both mines and water resources near the borders in the province are “valuable” assets.

Vahidi said the Iranian administration should encourage investors to come to the province and benefit from the border region’s great capacities.

“Sistan and Balouchestan has a capacity for investments worth tens of billions of tomans, especially in the field of mines,” he said.

The minister also referred to a long-running dispute with Afghanistan over Iran’s share of water from the Helmand River.

“We face water issues in Sistan and Balouchestan, over which we have issued numerous warnings to the neighboring country and the [ruling] Taliban administration,” he said.

“While we are pursuing the water rights issue, we should look for other ways to resolve the water issues in Sistan and Balouchestan,” he added.

IFP Editorial Staff

The IFP Editorial Staff is composed of dozens of skilled journalists, news-writers, and analysts whose works are edited and published by experienced editors specialized in Iran News. The editor of each IFP Service is responsible for the report published by the Iran Front Page (IFP) news website, and can be contacted through the ways mentioned in the "IFP Editorial Staff" section.