INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Brigadier-General Reza Shojaei late Wednesday denied allegations that Iranian military forces opened fire on a group of about 300 Afghan
nationals who crossed into the Sistan and Baluchistan province from Pakistan.Reports emerged early Wednesday that 260 Afghan migrants had
been gunned down by Iranian military forces close to the border.Iranian human rights organization Haalvsh made the claim and quoted two
alleged survivors.Haalvsh&s statement sparked an outcry on social media.However, Iranian officials have denied the claims.Sistan and
Baluchistan province border commander Shojaei said there was no truth in the claims and stated that Iran had always welcomed Afghan migrants
and had respected their human rights.He said the claims were an attempt to create discord between Iran and Afghanistan.Washington&s former
special envoy for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, also reacted to the claims and said in a post on X on Thursday morning that if the report
of the killing of Afghan immigrants by Iran is true, &this would be terrible and require consequences&.&For now, Iran is denying that this
happened,& he added.The Islamic Emirate confirmed late Wednesday it had initiated an investigation into the allegations.Zabihullah Mujahid,
the Islamic Emirate&s spokesman, said in a post on X that &various governmental bodies and diplomatic missions of the Islamic Emirate of
Afghanistan have initiated comprehensive investigations into the matter.&As the incident is reported to have occurred beyond Afghanistan&s
borders, the available information remains unverified
A conclusive decision will be made following a thorough clarification of the facts,& he said. The post Iranian border commander denies mass
shooting of Afghan nationals first appeared on Ariana News.
