Taliban Massacre Of Iranian Diplomats

August, 8, 1998 A.D.:
Taliban Massacre Of Iranian Diplomats

By: Mir M.Hosseini

After Taliban forces captured Mazar Sharif city in northern Afghanistan on Aug, 8, 1998, 11 Iranian diplomats and a reporter disappeared. It was later confirmed that 8 of the Iranian diplomats and the reporter were killed by the Taliban militia.
Public reactions followed by heavy tensions and an Iranian troop buildup along the Afghan border signaled a war with Taliban. The U.N. mediation diffused tensions and in February, 1999 Iran and Taliban held talks, but Iran-Afghanistan relations did not improve until the fall of Taliban. By 1999,Taliban controlled most of Afghanistan but failed to win international recognition of its regime because of its harsh social policies which included almost complete removal of women from public life and its role as a haven for Islamic extremists.
Taliban's refusal to extradite Osama Bin Laden, following the September 11 attacks in 2001 prompted the U.S. to attack Afghanistan, driving the Taliban from power.
Iran played a significant role in success of the Allied forces against a common enemy.