Iran–Pakistan border

One region, two empires

Baluchistan once lay on both sides of today's line, as an outlying province of the Persian Empire. It was later ruled for a time by the Mughals, and in 1747 Kalat, one of its main divisions, came under the ruler of Afghanistan.^[1]

British power reached the area in the 19th century. British troops captured the town of Kalat during the First Anglo-Afghan War of 1838–42, and in 1854 the Khan of Kalat signed a treaty that tied him to Britain.^[1] By 1896 Britain had formed a British Baluchistan province, with Kalat as a protected princely state.^[1]

Drawn by loyalty, then by pillars

The first line, agreed by an exchange of notes in September 1871, ran from Kuhak to Gwatar Bay. It did not follow rivers or ridges. It simply listed which local districts were loyal to Persia and which to Kalat.^[1] A joint commission examined it in 1872 but put up no pillars. Persia later claimed the small district of Kuhak. Britain agreed that the line should pass east of it, and Persia occupied Kuhak in May 1874.^[1]

In 1895–96 the line was extended north to Afghanistan. A joint commission put up 11 pillars in 1896, from Kuhak to Gorani. Persia never sent its surveyor, so the line north of pillar 11 was only described on maps that later proved to be full of errors.^[1] In 1905 Britain dropped its claim to Mirjaveh, and in return Persia let a British post draw water from the Mirjaveh side.^[1]

Baluchistan became part of Pakistan in 1947, and the state of Kalat joined in 1948.^[1] On 6 February 1958 Iran and Pakistan signed an agreement in Tehran that confirmed the old line on the basis of the 1871, 1895 and 1896 documents.^[1] Joint teams then marked it with 256 pillars in 1958–59, and a Final Protocol with the pillars' coordinates was signed on 8 December 1959.^[1]

“These names exhibit the line of actual possession of Kelat, that is to say, all tracts to the east of the frontier of actual Persian possession…”^[1]

How the line runs

In the north the border starts on the peak of Kuh-e Malek Siah, where Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan meet. It follows mountain ridges and straight lines, then runs about 130 km down the middle of the Mirjaveh and Talab rivers.^[1] The central section crosses more ridges, including the Siahan range, to the Mashkel river.^[1] In the south it follows the Nahang river for about 150 km, then alternates between straight lines and ridges to reach Gwatar Bay. The last pillar, No. 256, stands on a sandy island in the bay.^[1]

Crossings and strikes

For more than 70 years Taftan was the only official crossing, used for trade and by thousands of pilgrims every year. In December 2020 a second official crossing opened at Ramdhan, near Gwadar.^[2] A fence was also being built along the border at the time.^[2]

The border is largely lawless, and smugglers and militants cross it freely. Each government has suspected the other of tolerating Baluch armed groups that attack it.^[3] In January 2024 Iran fired missiles and drones at what it said were Jaish al-Adl bases inside Pakistan. Two days later Pakistan struck what it called “terrorist hideouts” inside Iran.^[3] At least 11 civilians were killed, 9 in Iran and 2 in Pakistan. About a week later the two governments announced that their ambassadors would return.^[4]