Iran/Pakistan: Overland exit from Iran through the Iran/Pakistan border posts near Zahedan, Iran (1998-1999)

The following information was obtained during a 7 September 1999 telephone interview with the Product and Marketing Manager of Encounter Overland Ltd., a London-based company with "33 years experience in operating overland journeys and adventure holidays," which conducts trips, including ones in Asia lasting from 6 to 32 weeks. He stated that he has himself travelled through the border near Zahedan, Iran and that Encounter Overland conducts tours through that area once or twice a month. He described the area around the border as "fairly touchy" as a result of the smuggling of drugs that occurs involving the three countries of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran. He stated that it was a "probably more sensitive area" than others the company travels through. According to the manager it is a "fairly tribal" area with factions that often do not get along with each other.

The manager said that the Iranian border post, "Mirjaveh," and the Pakistani one "Tastan," are a few meters apart. The Iranian border post is two or three kilometers from the Iranian town of the same name which is about 75 kilometers south of Zahedan. Tastan is a collection of a "few shacks" with the next town in Pakistan about 110 kilometers east. The manager described the border area as "fairly open" with a "haphazard fence" at the border itself.

In terms of transit at the border post, the manager said that it is not a post through which a lot of trade goes, but that there is a fair amount of public movement and that at the time of year in which religious pilgrimages occur there are "certainly a lot of people passing through." He described official practices at the border as "normal" in comparison to those of other countries the company conducts tours through. He stated that it "is just like anywhere else" and that "things appear to go by the book." He described the border as "not chaotic" and "quite official." He stated that there are immigration, customs and health checks. For those foreigners travelling with Encounter Overland, normal procedures involve all persons exiting from the bus in order to be processed individually. This involves officials checking the individual's passport, visa, and health cards, as well as a baggage inspection/search. He described Iranian authorities as generally not aggressive, but thorough, in their conduct, and that Pakistani officials could be described in the same way but that they may be slightly "more relaxed."

When asked if he felt it would be possible for a local person to avoid officially passing through the border post, by walking across the border a few kilometers away, the manager stated that he felt it was possible but that the "person would have to be fairly vigilant" because of the sensitive nature of the border. He added that it is also a "fairly harsh" area, particularly when temperatures rise to the mid-40 degree range (7 Sept. 1999). A 28 November 1998 article by The Independent characterizes the overland journey near the Iran/Pakistan border as "a nightmare journey of blistering heat, choking dust clouds and outrageously rough roads." It also states that "independent travellers can reach Quetta from Zahedan in Iran by bus (daily) or rail (twice a week)" (ibid.).

There have been a number of reports in 1999 from Zahedan of "fierce battles" between Iranian forces and drug smugglers involving the death of persons from both groups, the arrest of drug smugglers, and the seizure of large amounts of drugs (IRNA 18 Aug. 1999; ibid. 23 July 1999; ibid. 3 July 1999; ibid. 27 May 1999). There are also reports of similar events near Mirjaveh (ibid. 22 July 1999; ibid. 21 Feb. 1999).

In June 1999 Iranian authorities were reported to be increasing security, including reinforcement of the borders, along the border with Pakistan near Zahedan to prevent drug smuggling (IRNA 20 June 1999; Middle East News Items 21 June 1999). Two new border posts were also opened and a new border regiment created (ibid.; IRNA 20 June 1999). In August 1999, an Iranian "provincial official in charge of drug affairs" stated that security measures included "digging canals, constructing border roads and active presence of the law enforcement forces at border points" (IRNA 8 Aug 1999). In another IRNA report a few days later, an Iranian Brigadier General was reported as saying that security measures include "the physical closure and strengthening of the eastern borders, use of trained dogs and intensification of the fight against trafficking along the coasts" (18 Aug. 1999).

In April 1998, "the UN international drug control program (UNDCP) executive director Pino Arlacchi … lauded Iran's anti-narcotic campaign after inspecting Mirjaveh district …[during] his inspection visit to Iranian border fortifications" (5 Apr. 1998). A year later, IRNA reported that according to "head of the international technical cooperation service of the French interior ministry," Iran "has made huge investments in campaign against narcotic drugs" and that it "has had favorable activities in suppressing drug smugglers" (19 Apr. 1999).

There have been a number of reports of security operations by Iran along its border with Pakistan, in addition to its operations against drug smugglers. In October 1997, after a two day meeting of border officials, "Pakistan and Iran agreed to identify and arrest criminals who commit crimes along the[ir] common border" (Radio Pakistan 11 Oct. 1997). Actions would include joint patrolling and "it was also decided at the conference to take stringent measures to prevent illegal movement of foreign nationals near the Pakistan-Iran border" (ibid.).

In a September 1998 interview with Tehran Times, Iran's Defence Minister stated that "special attention of our armed forces to our eastern borders due to drug smuggling and illegal entry and exit of anti-social elements is not something new. The nature of changes which occurred in the security environment along the eastern borders will definitely demand more operational flexibility" (22 Sept. 1998; IRNA 22 Sept. 1998).

In a 20 December 1998 IRNA report of a bomb blast in Zahedan, Iranian security forces were said to have stated that those responsible "had crossed borders in to the country …adding that appropriate measures have been taken to prevent the culprits from leaving the country."

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Encounter Overland Ltd., London. 7 September 1999. Telephone interview with Product and Marketing Manager.

The Independent [London]. 28 November 1998. Richard Naisby. "Travel: Where Macho Passions Ride High…" (NEXIS)

IRNA [Tehran, in English]. 18 August 1999. "Iran: Anti-Drugs Seminar Held in Zahedan." (FBIS-NES-1999-0818 WNC)

_____. 8 August 1999. "Iran: Province Seizes 40 Tons of Drugs in 4 Months." (FBIS-NES-1999-0808/WNC)

_____. 23 July 1999. "Iran: Army Exhibits Seized Narcotics." (FBIS-NES-1999-0723/WNC)

_____. 22 July 1999. "Iran: 3 Tonnes of Drugs Seized From Smugglers." (FBIS-NES-1999-0722/WNC)

_____. 3 July 1999. "Drug Smugglers, Security Officers Killed in SE Iran." (FBIS-NES-1999-0703/WNC)

_____. 20 June 1999. "Iran: Border Forces Reinforced to Fight Drugs Trade." (FBIS-NES-1999-0620/WNC)

_____. 27 May 1999. "Iran: Over Ton of Narcotics Seized in Zahedan." (FBIS-NES- 1999-0527/WNC)

_____. 19 April 1999. "Iran: French Official Hails Iran's Anti-Narcotics Campaign." (FBIS-NES-1999-0419/WNC)

_____. 21 February 1999. "Iran: 945 Kilogram Opium Seizure in Sistan-Baluchestan." (FBIS-NES-1999-022/WNC)

_____. 20 December 1998. "Iran: Iranian Authorities Find Clues About Zahedan Bomb Explosion." (FBIS-TOT-98-354 20 Dec. 1998/WNC)

_____. 22 September 1998. "Iran: Iranian Defense Minister: Taleban Too Weak to Pose Threat." (FBIS-NES-98-265 22 Sept. 1998/WNC)

_____. 5 April 1998. "Iran: UN Official Lauds Iran's Anti-Drug Campaign." (FBIS-NES-98-095)

Middle East News Items. 21 June 1999. "Iran to Increase Drug Battling Efforts." (NEXIS)

Radio Pakistan [Islamabad, in Urdu]. 11 October 1997. "Pakistan and Iran Agree to Crack Down on Criminals in Border Area." (BBC Summary 14 Oct. 1997/NEXIS)

Tehran Times [Tehran, in English]. 22 September 1998. "Iran: Defense Minister: Taleban No Military Threat to Iran." (FBIS-NES-98-273 30 Sept. 1998/WNC)