AFF Accuses Taliban Of Torture & Killing Ex-Security Forces On Occasion Of Soldier’s Day

Qomi told ISNA news agency that Helmand’s water rights is "the right" of the people of Iran. He stated that his country is seriously pursuing the issue.

He added that the commissioners of Iran and the Taliban have held their 27th meeting in Zabul regarding the water rights. However, the anticipated outcome expected by the Ministry of Energy of Iran did not materialise. Nonetheless, he emphasised that these meetings are necessary for the implementation of the Afghan-Iranian Helmand River Water Treaty of 1973.

Recently, Iranian media reported that the Helmand River water commission meeting concluded without yielding results. During this meeting, Iranian representatives emphasised on addressing technical problems and removing obstacles, including the structures built by Afghanistan on the way of this river.

After this meeting, the Iranian media wrote that the "Taliban again insulted Iran about Helmand's water right".

In response to Iran's repeated requests, Taliban officials stated that the drought and insufficient water in the Helmand River were the reasons for the diminished flow to Iran.

However, Iran's special representative countered, stating that the 1973 treaty does not explicitly specify that the water in the Kajaki Dam must be allocated to Iran's rights. Moreover, the treaty does not address the scenario where Iran's entitlements should be contingent on rainfall.

Qomi mentioned that Iranian experts visited the measuring station in Afghanistan a few months ago to assess the water volume and determined that it was not significant. However, he emphasised on the need for Iranian specialists to revisit Afghanistan now that winter is over for another round of water measurements.

He stated that the Taliban, fortunately, is not strict regarding the measurement of water by Iranian experts.

The Iranian envoy also underscored the importance of security control along the border with Afghanistan in his conversation with ISNA.

Regarding Iran's border blockade plan, he clarified that this initiative is "not merely for preventing the entry of illegal immigrants and combating human and drug trafficking”. Rather, "we are facing various terrorist elements at the border, supported by major powers that today utilise both soft and hard power simultaneously to strike against us”.

This oil is being refined within Afghanistan by private entities, according to the ministry’s statement.

A significant contract for oil extraction in the Amu Darya basin has been awarded to a Chinese firm by the Taliban.

The ministry revealed on Wednesday that there are presently 24 active oil wells within the basin. They projected that by the end of 2024, the number of operational wells will increase to 47, elevating the daily oil output to 3,000 tonnes.

This operation is providing direct and indirect employment to approximately 1,500 individuals, as per the ministry's data.

Spanning across the northern Afghan provinces of Sar-e Pol, Jowzjan, and Faryab, the Amu Darya oil basin's extraction rights were secured by a Chinese company through a 25-year agreement finalised last year.

The basin is estimated to contain about 87 million barrels of oil reserves.

In an earlier statement, the Taliban outlined the Chinese company CPEIC’s commitment to investing $150 million in the first year, followed by an additional $540 million over the subsequent three years for exploration and extraction activities across 4,500 square kilometres in Sar-e-Pul, Faryab, and Jowzjan.

This contract has been criticised by the Taliban's adversaries, including the National Resistance Front, who deem the agreement as "illegal, irresponsible, and a violation of international norms and standards," citing the Taliban's lack of domestic and international legitimacy.

While not providing specific details, he mentioned that a collaborative meeting between this chamber and Afghan businessmen is scheduled to take place in Kabul in the coming days.

According to the report of Radio Television Afghanistan (RTA), under the control of the Taliban, the governor of the group in Panjshir announced the investment of the companies that are members of the Afghan American Chambers of Commerce during the meeting of the 14th round of emerald bidding. He did not provide further details about the meeting.

On September 6, 2023, a conference titled "Afghanistan's Commercial and Economic Relations" took place in Kabul between the Taliban and members of the Afghan American Chambers of Commerce. Jeffrey Grieco, the head of the Afghan American Chamber of Commerce, made his first visit to Kabul since the Taliban took over the control of Afghanistan. During this visit, he met Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and several private sector representatives in Kabul.

His visit and the subsequent meeting with Taliban officials faced significant criticism from women's rights activists. In a statement, female activists expressed concern, interpreting the US citizen's trip as an endorsement of Taliban policies and viewed it as lobbying for the group.

In the 14th round of Panjshir emerald bidding, the Taliban sold about 6,887 carats of emerald worth USD 217,250 to Afghan traders.

The extraction and sale of Panjshir emerald by the Taliban has increased significantly in the two and a half years of their rule. Previously, the Taliban’s Ministry of Mines and Petroleum announced in that in the last two years, it has sold more than 40,000 carats of emeralds worth more than USD 3 million in thirteen auction sessions.

The group claims that the Taliban administration has received only a 10% share of the overall sales of Panjshir emeralds. According to the Taliban administration, approximately 750 emerald mines have been officially registered in Panjshir, with 500 of them currently in operation.

According to the Taliban, Turkmenistan will increase the "capacity of the Torghundi Port railway" and start its reconstruction.

Radio Television Afghanistan (RTA), controlled by the Taliban, reported that Taliban’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi held a meeting with Chakiуev on Tuesday. They discussed enhancing transfers between Afghanistan and Turkmenistan, boosting the capacity of the Torghundi port's railway line, and facilitating Afghan businessmen at the Turkmenbashi port.

Muttaqi visited Turkmenistan on Monday at the invitation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan.

During the meeting with Chakiуev, Muttaqi discussed the development of the Lapis Lazuli Route. He sought the collaboration of Turkmenistan and partner countries to explore the feasibility of constructing this route.

As per the Taliban statement, the Turkmen official underscored the significance of the Lapis Lazuli Road and stressed on the need for a meeting among the five countries involved in this route.

Previously, the Taliban's Foreign Ministry had announced an agreement with Turkmenistan to convene a meeting in Ashgabat for the development of the Lapis Lazuli Route.

In 2018, the "Lapis Lazuli Route" agreement was signed among five countries, to establish a route from Afghanistan to Turkey through Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, and Georgia.

"The situation in the region is still challenging," Shoigu stated. "The most significant threat persists from Afghanistan."

Explaining the threat to Central Asia, Shoigu added, "In the past year, the number of ISIS fighters has increased by 15 percent."

The Russian Defence Minister further stated that the primary goal of ISIS is to propagate radical ideology and engage in terrorist activities along the southern borders of the member states of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation.

Shoigu added, "A 20 percent increase in narcotics production and trafficking through the Central Asian republics is expected." At the same time, he emphasised, they are implementing preventive measures.

According to him, addressing the crisis situation in the countries of the region and participating in seven exercises in the territory of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan are among the military plans of Russia and its allies in the member countries of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation.

In a meeting with his counterparts from Central Asia in Bishkek, the Secretary of the Russian Security Council, Nikolai Patrushev, warned that 20 terrorist organisations, with more than 23,000 fighters, are present in Afghanistan under the control of the Taliban.