If Iran invaded Afghanistan in 1998?

[kspence92]

Iran came very close to war with the Taliban in 1998 after they took over the Iranian Consultant in Mazarui Sharif and executed diplomats. War was avoided by UN mediation.

What if Iran had sent the 70,000 troops they had mobilised across the border and advanced on Kabul?

 

[Thomas Jefferson]

Bin Laden probably ends up committing his forces to fight the Iranians, and 9/11 is butterflied away. Iran may end up forming an arrangement of convenience with the Northern Alliance and installing Ahmad Shah Massoud as the new leader of Afghanistan.

 

[schai]

Bin Laden probably ends up committing his forces to fight the Iranians, and 9/11 is butterflied away. Iran may end up forming an arrangement of convenience with the Northern Alliance and installing Ahmad Shah Massoud as the new leader of Afghanistan.

Interesting!

Does that mean Taliban would be defeated by Iranian army? or Pakistan would provide more support to Taliban to continue the fight?

 

[aaronupright]

Does that mean Taliban would be defeated by Iranian army? or Pakistan would provide more support to Taliban to continue the fight?

Pakistan made a war threat* to Iran in OTL as per the memoirs of the then Pakistani foreign minister.
(Well it was more diplomatic, but the Iranians were left in no doubt as to the message).

 

[GuildedAgeNostalgia]

Thread about this a few weeks back. Iran most likely does what Turkey has done in Syria.

Create a buffer zone along the border, fill it with a pro Iran/anti Taliban militia, allow them to form a puppet provisional government that doesn't do anything, and give them weapons and training so they can pester the Taliban permanently and destabilize their rule over Afghanistan.

Iran isn't stupid and knows it can't take/hold all of Afghanistan. Funding a proxy war is their best option.