TEHRAN – Defense Minister Mohammad Reza Ashtiani has said that Iran’s military forces are armed with the newest weapons to confront border threats, Fars reported on Sunday.

“Our armed forces are equipped with the latest and most advanced equipment to counter armed forces,” Ashtiani said when asked about border incidents and equipping border guards with modern weapons.

On May 27, one Iranian border guard and one Taliban fighter were killed after shooting broke out near a border post between Iran and Afghanistan.

Several people were also injured in the incident.

Iranian military officials said the border clash was triggered by the Taliban forces.

In an indirect reference to political and military instability in Afghanistan, Defense Minister Ashtiani said Iran has long borders with neighbors and certain of them “may not have the necessary stability and would not be able to confront elements which are active in their countries,” however, the Iranian troops are “powerfully protecting the borders and the Ministry of Defense is able to produce any equipment” that armed forces may need to confront those who disrupt border security.

Following the incident, a number of senior Iranian military officials, including Army Ground Force Commander Brigadier General Kioumars Heydari, visited the region.

Heydari said wherever respective countries honor international regulations in joint border and honor good neighborliness it will see reciprocal measures by the Iranian side otherwise it “will see another behavior”.

He added, “Common borders with Afghanistan are fully under the control of the army ground forces and along with us are border guards, and there is full security at the border.”