The new $3.4B barrier is designed to help fight drugs and weapons smuggling, human trafficking and illegal immigration, prevent border clashes with terrorists and criminal gangs, and secure the movement of people and goods between the two countries.
The wall consists of reinforced concrete slabs measuring 4 meters high and 1.1 meters thick, with a razor wire topper.
When all is said and done, the wall will span over 900 km. Up to 75 km have been completed to date, with 300 km+ more under construction in northern Iran’s Razavi Khorasan province. The project is set to be completed in three years.
Besides security issues, Iran has struggled to accommodate an influx of up to 5 million Afghan refugees (over 12% of the population) who fled Afghanistan after the collapse of the US puppet government and rise of the Taliban in 2021.