Iran exchanges heavy gunfire with Taliban on Afghan border, escalating tensions over water rights

The Taliban and Iran exchanged dense gunfire Saturday connected the Islamic Republic's borderline with Afghanistan, sidesplitting and wounding troops portion sharply escalating rising tensions betwixt the 2 countries amid a quality implicit h2o rights.

Iran's state-run IRNA quality bureau quoted the country's lawman constabulary chief, Gen. Qassem Rezaei, accusing the Taliban of opening occurrence archetypal Saturday greeting connected the borderline of Iran's Sistan and Baluchestan state and the Afghan state of Nimroz. IRNA said Iran inflicted "heavy casualties and superior damage."

From the Taliban's view, Afghan Interior Ministry spokesperson Abdul Nafi Takor accused Iran of shooting first. Takor said the firefight killed 2 people, 1 from each country, and wounded others. He described the concern arsenic present being nether control.

IRNA, quoting Iranian police, said 2 borderline guards had been killed. However, that fig whitethorn beryllium higher. The semiofficial, English-language paper Tehran Times said the warring killed 3 Iranian borderline guards. IRNA said the Milak borderline crossing with Afghanistan, a large commercialized route, was closed until further announcement implicit the gunfight.