Raisi Assigns Foreign Affairs, Energy Ministers to Pursue Iran's Water Rights
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi ordered the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Energy of Iran on Wednesday to follow up on Iran's water rights of the Helmand river.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi ordered the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Energy of Iran on Wednesday to follow up on Iran's water rights of the Helmand river.
Raisi emphasized during the meeting of the Council of Ministers of Iran that the Islamic Republic will not fail in any way in pursuing the "rights of the nation".
The office of the Iranian President said in a statement that Raisi instructed the relevant ministries to seriously pursue alternate ways of supplying drinking and agricultural water to the people of Sistan and Balochistan province.
Officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran insist on the country's water rights from the Helmand river, while the Taliban have continuously said that according to the agreement between Afghanistan and Iran, Iran's annual water rights have been given.
Earlier, Ali Akbar Mehrabian, Minister of Energy of Iran, said that the Taliban has only verbally promised to fulfil the country's water rights.
Mehrabian told reporters that he will personally start negotiations with Taliban to fulfil Iran's water rights when he comes to Afghanistan.
Iran's Crisis Management Organisation had previously said that the country is vulnerable in the water sector and there is no safe water in Iran, except the sea.
Iran's water rights have always been a source of tension between Tehran and Kabul. Under the Taliban’s reign in the past year, the two countries have even witnessed armed clashes over water issues.
