1998 killing of Iranian diplomats in Afghanistan
| 1998 killing of Iranian diplomats in Afghanistan | |
|---|---|
| Part of the Battles of Mazar-i-Sharif | |
| Location | Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan |
| Coordinates | 36°42′N 67°07′E / 36.700°N 67.117°E |
| Date | 8 August 1998 (UTC+04:30) |
| Target | Iranian diplomats |
| Deaths | 11 (incl. one journalist) |
| Perpetrator | Taliban |
| Participant | Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (alleged) |
| Motive | Iran's support for the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance during the Afghan Civil War |
On 8 August 1998, amidst the Battles of Mazar-i-Sharif, the Iranian consulate in Mazar-i-Sharif was attacked as the Taliban were besieging the city. Initially, only the deaths of eight Iranian diplomats was reported, but two other diplomats and a journalist were later confirmed dead as well, bringing the total casualty rate to 11 personnel. The executions of the diplomats are speculated to have been carried out by Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan. During this time, Iran was supporting the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance, and the killings heightened direct military tensions along the Afghanistan–Iran border, which was controlled on the Afghan side by the Taliban's Islamic Emirate at the time.