Report: Iran shipping tons of weapons to the Taliban

In a report on Iran’s weapons smuggling to the Taleban — to be carried on Channel 4 News this evening — one Afghan Taleban commander claims that the Iranian border is assuming greater importance than that into Pakistan.

“Day by day the Iranian border becomes more important for us, especially now in Pakistan there are many problems for the Taleban,” said Commander Noori, a senior insurgent in Kunduz. “Many of the Taleban have been imprisoned and also they arrest any Taleban who comes out of the madrassas [in Pakistan],” he said.

Nato’s International Security Assistance Force said that there was Iranian support for the Taleban with weapons and training, though it did not believe it was at a level that was decisive to the outcome of the war.