At least five Iranian companies are sending money to the Islamist terror group in Afghanistan in order to fund the fighting against Western powers, led by the United States, according to a Sunday Times report, which quoted Taliban sources.
Afghani intelligence and Taliban officials told how the money is transferred from Iranian straw-men companies to Afghani rebels. Intelligence officials in the West believe the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps the driving force behind these companies.
According to information provided by a senior Taliban official, last year, Iran paid $1000 to anybody who killed an American soldier and $6000 to anybody who destroyed an American vehicle.
The report also revealed that the regime of the ayatollahs operates Taliban training camps at various sites along the border between Iran and Afghanistan where they teach Afghani terrorist activists how to ambush NATO soldiers with rifles and improvised bombs. They also learn methods for attacking security checkpoints and military bases in mountainous regions.
In the past, Shiite Iran was at odds with the Sunni Taliban. However, in recent years, the Islamic Republic has sought to expand its influence in the Muslim world. A commander in the Afghani terror group told the Times that the cooperation does not necessarily indicate friendly relations, but rather the existence of a common enemy.
"Our religions and histories are different, but the goal is the same. We both want to kill Americans," the Taliban source said.
Two Taliban officers who took part in the Iranian training program spoke with the Times about their experiences. One of them said that he was invited to Iran together 20 of his men and was forced to cross the border secretly. Iranian "counselors" awaited them on the other side in all-terrain vehicles to take them to the outskirts of the city of Zahedan.
"Iran funded the whole trip. We paid at first with our own money, but when we arrived, they paid us back for food, cell phone calling cards, and expenses."
Among the lessons the Afghani rebels received was a course on laying road-side bombs, including instructions on how to lay multiple explosives in order to target the medical teams helping the casualties from the initial explosion. The Iranian hosts also awarded them with gifts, including rifles, mines, and ammunition.
The Taliban commander claimed that he and his men do not know who funds the training camps, but said he is fairly certain the Islamic Republic is involved.
"The Iranian government is not falling asleep while on watch. It's enough that you merely wiggle your ears in Iran and the government knows about it," he said.
