Afghanistan, Iran at odds over drowning of migrants

KABUL, Afghanistan

Afghanistan and Iran failed to progress on probe at commissioners' level into the drowning of migrants, resulting in matters being left for diplomats to resolve, the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Monday.

Spokesman Graan Hewad said in a video message that Afghan border commissioners shared documented evidence with the Iranian counterparts, but Tehran did not approve the documents.

The Afghan commissioners, he added, have handed over the investigation to diplomatic authorities on the basis of a bilateral border agreement to take the matter ahead.

"The Iranian authorities have informed the Embassy of Afghanistan in Tehran that they too have appointed a diplomatic team to further address the matter," Hewad said.

Last week, the two countries agreed to jointly launch "serious investigations" into the allegations that dozens of Afghan citizens had been drowned by Iranian border guards in Harirud River, which is shared by Afghanistan, Iran and Turkmenistan.

According to the local Salam Afghanistan radio, the citizens were pushed into the river after being tortured, a charge denied by Iran.