May 13, 2020, 12:44 PM

Iran, Afghanistan to comment joint investigations on Herat incident

Iran, Afghanistan to comment joint investigations on Herat incident

TEHRAN, May 13 (MNA) – Afghanistan ministry of foreign affairs announced on Wednesday that Tehran and Kabul will start mutual investigations on Herat incident; the tragic deaths of a number of Afghan migrants near the Iran-Afghanistan border in Early May, as of Thursday.

The ministry informed that due to the held negotiations between the two sides, Afghanistan and Iran Border Commission will start the research on finding out the 'truth' about the incident and to do justice. 

On May 1, some claims surfaced in media reports that Iranian border guards had tortured and thrown as many as 57 Afghans into the Hari River (Harirud) in western Herat province to prevent their illegal entry into Iran. The Khaama Press News Agency said at least 23 of them drowned in Harirud. 

Tehran has roundly rejected the claims, saying the incident took place on the Afghan side of the border and Iranian forces had no role in the incident.

In a phone talk on Monday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his Afghan counterpart, Mohammad Haneef Atmar, conferred on the ways of cooperation to address the issue properly. 

Atmar noted that an Afghan delegation has started investigations on the location of the incident.

Zarif, for his part, said an Iranian delegation will also join the probes to carry on the efforts till the main cause of the incident is realized.

The sides also agreed to hold joint meetings in the Iranian city of Mashhad and the Afghan city of Herat to discuss the matter.

HJ/FNA13990224000269

News ID 158664

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