“Consular services are not available for security reasons until the end of this week,” The Iranian embassy said
Iran’s embassy in Kabul has been closed following protests in the Afghan capital over alleged abuse of Afghan migrants.
The Iranian consulate general in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan’s northernmost city, also released a statement on Tuesday, stating that its consular and visa services had been suspended until further notice due to security concerns.
Iran had called the Afghan charge d’affaires earlier in the day to express its concern with the attacks on its embassy in Kabul and consulate general in Heart, which saw crowds throw stones and other projectiles at the Iranian facilities.
During the discussion, the director general for South Asia affairs of the foreign ministry urged the Taliban government to prosecute the offenders, emphasizing that governments are responsible for the security of diplomatic missions.
All Iranian consular sections in Afghanistan would stay closed till further notice, according to the director general and “will not resume work until the Afghan foreign ministry provides the necessary assurances on the security of diplomatic missions”.
The gatherings outside the Iranian missions in Kabul and Heart on Monday were described by the Taliban government’s intelligence and culture chief as “arbitrary actions” by unnamed people.
“A number of people acted arbitrarily and held a protest outside the Iranian consulate and the demonstrators were immediately dispersed by the security forces of Afghan Islamic Emirate (Taliban government),” he said in a tweet.
“As the move was quickly brought under control, nothing special happened.”
On Monday, rioters assaulted the Iranian consulate general in Heart, setting tyres on fire outside the embassy and smashing security cameras. The assailants withdrew only after Taliban fighters and security guards fired rounds into the air and Heart’s governor came on the site, according to reports.