The Security Situation of Former Afghan Officials in Iran: Emerging Threats and Regional Developments

The Security Situation of Former Afghan Officials in Iran: Emerging Threats and Regional Developments

Based on available evidence and credible indications, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran and the Taliban intelligence apparatus are engaged in deliberate narrative management aimed at misleading public opinion. Both the Iranian government and the Taliban regime are currently attempting to obscure the political and security realities surrounding the targeted killings of Taliban opponents.

A few days ago, General Ikramuddin Saree, a highly experienced and courageous former Afghan general and a known opponent of the Taliban, was assassinated in Tehran alongside one of his colleagues, Commander Almas Kohistani, by armed individuals. According to existing information, this assassination is attributed to the Taliban’s Intelligence Directorates 376 and 091, in coordination with elements linked to the IRGC.

It is important to note that only days prior to his assassination, General Ikramuddin Saree had warned in a media interview that his name, along with those of several former Afghan military personnel residing in Iran, had been placed on the Taliban’s assassination list and that their lives were under serious threat. In that interview, he explicitly called on the Iranian authorities to provide protection and cooperation.
However, despite these warnings, the Iranian government failed to take any effective measures to ensure the safety of Taliban opponents. On the contrary, there are credible reports indicating that former Afghan officials and military personnel were urged to cooperate with the Taliban authorities and were even subjected to indirect pressure and intimidation.

Following the escalation of tensions between Islamabad and the Taliban, the Islamic Republic of Iran has significantly strengthened its relations with the Taliban. In order to secure Taliban satisfaction, Iran has expanded its political and security cooperation with the group. Within this context, efforts are being made to shift responsibility for the assassination of General Ikramuddin Saree and Commander Almas Kohistani onto other actors or countries, thereby misleading public opinion and concealing the primary responsibility.

Without taking sides, it must be clearly stated that former Afghan military personnel in Pakistan currently enjoy good and reliable security conditions. Even former Afghan military and political figures who, during the Republic era, held critical or opposing positions toward Pakistan are presently living in Pakistan in full security, and to date, no credible reports of threats or targeted assassinations against them have been recorded.

Accordingly, former Afghan military personnel residing in Tehran are strongly advised to exercise extreme caution, continuously assess their personal security situation, and, should they perceive any serious threat, leave Iran in order to safeguard their lives.

Under the current circumstances, the Iranian government openly refers to the Taliban as a “close friend” and a “strategic partner,” while political, security, and operational relations between the two sides have expanded to an unprecedented level.