The Taliban government of Afghanistan reported that a clash between Afghan forces and Iranian border guards resulted in one death and one wounded on the border between Afghanistan's Nimroz province and Iran's Hirmand county. Meanwhile, Iranian reports state that Iran suffered no casualties in the latest incident. Both sides blamed the other for the engagement, with Iranian media outlets claim that Afghan forces attempted to raise their flag on non-Afghan territory while Border Commander Mawlawi Mohammad Ebrahim Hewad of Afghanistan said that Iranian border troops started the fighting. 

This is not the first time since the Taliban group gained control of the Afghan government that border clashes took place between Afghanistan and Iran. In fact, last month Iran reported the death of a border guard in an incident in roughly the same area. Tensions are also elevated as the while the Taliban government recognizes Iran's water rights from the Helmand River, has not yet granted the right. 

Despite the tensions between the governments, Afghan spokespeople stated that Afghanistan has agreed to purchase and import 350,000 tonnes of oil from Iran to ease shortages in Afghanistan and reduce energy prices. The Afghanistan Ministry of Finance also stated that the two nations have agreed to assemble a joint committee to construct a gas pipeline for energy imports and establish methods to move petroleum products into Afghanistan.

As of now, no country nor political unions including Iran have officially recognized the Taliban as the government of Afghanistan after the group rose to power in August of 2021. Iranian officials say that the recognition of the Taliban as the official government depends on the group's ability to form an "inclusive government". However, as of now, the Afghan government currently comprises of an all-male cabinet made exclusively of members from the Taliban, with most members being ethnic Pashtuns. 

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