After openly endorsing the 2001 NATO invasion that removed them from power and supporting the Karzai government in Afghanistan for years, US officials claim that Iran has quietly begun providing funding and even limited armaments to certain Taliban fighters.
Such a move would be surprising, given Iran’s acrimonious relationship with Taliban-run Afghanistan and long-standing efforts to court the new government. Details on the scope of this program are scant, as indeed is evidence that it is happening at all.
It may not be as far-fetched as it sounds, however, with suggestions that after 13 years of inconclusive war, Iran is looking to “hedge their bets” in case the Taliban ultimately end up back in power in Afghanistan, and hope that some nominal support would keep them from being immediate enemies.
Perhaps even more plausible is that the funds are aimed at countering the recent rise of ISIS in Afghanistan, with Afghan officials saying they believe Iran is looking to counter ISIS growth in the country by propping up the Taliban.
That makes some sense, as Iran is already heavily involved in the fight against ISIS in both Syria and Iraq, and struggling as that war is, they’d clearly prefer not to have ISIS on both their eastern and western borders.
The Taliban are Sunni. Iran is Shite. This report does not have the ring of truth to it. They lie to you about everthing, why would yoiu possible give this report any credibity at all?
The Israelis are Jews. Hamas is Muslim. Therefore, Israel never backed Hamas, right?
Political expediency trumps religious antipathy on a regular basis.
Not saying that makes the story true, of course, but far stranger things have happened.
What the hell? US has been talking and keeping Talibans as a balancing force against Pakistan and as an exercise group against the Afghan Army for sometimes! So Iran and US are on the same side in Afghanistan too?
"…prefer not to have ISIS on both their eastern and western borders."
Especially given that ISIS is an US-enabled creature.
Iran supporting Taliban in Afghanistan? Sounds implausible, but, then, the US did it about 30 years ago and is doing the same today in Syria.
We all know about US claims. That the exact opposite is usually the case.
So just who are this new ISIS in Afghanistan? Did they split off from the Taliban? Are they warlords who turned their backs to the "President of Kabul"? Or did they drop in by parachute courtesy of the CIA? I mean, they didn't sprout from seeds, so they have to be locals or imports.
Without that background information, any story on ISIS in Afghanistan is just noise with no discernible signal.