The Kabul Tribune (KT) — Iran’s Foreign Ministry on Friday renewed its call for the circumstances surrounding the 1998 attack on its consulate in the northern Afghan city of Mazar-e-Sharif to be clarified, as the country marked the 28th anniversary of the deaths of eight diplomats and an Iranian journalist.
In a statement marking the anniversary, the ministry said the consulate was attacked on Aug. 8, 1998, during the Taliban’s first period in power after the group seized control of Mazar-e-Sharif. Eight Iranian diplomats and Mahmoud Saremi, a journalist with the Islamic Republic News Agency, were killed.
The ministry identified the diplomats as Ali Ghayasi, Majid Nouri Neyari, Nasser Rigi, Noorullah Nouri, Karim Heydarian, Heydarali Bagheri, Rashid Parpiu Fallah and Nasser Naseri.
Iran described the attack as a “heinous crime and flagrant violation of diplomatic rights” and said it could not be diminished or overlooked with the passage of time.
The ministry said Iran continues to seek clarification of the circumstances surrounding the killings, the identification of those responsible and the administration of justice.
Iran blamed the Taliban for the killings at the time. The Taliban rejected the accusation and said the diplomats and journalist had been killed by “rogue elements.”
The ministry’s statement Friday did not mention the Taliban by name.
The attack took place after Taliban forces captured Mazar-e-Sharif in August 1998. The incident sharply escalated tensions between Iran and the Taliban, which controlled most of Afghanistan at the time.
Iran has continued to commemorate those killed in the attack, including Saremi, whose death is also commemorated in Iran on Journalists’ Day.
