Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban’s Foreign Minister, has emphasised the group’s commitment to delivering water to Iran, describing it not only as a political obligation but as a “religious and Islamic duty.”
Speaking at the Tehran Dialogue Forum on Sunday, 18 May, Muttaqi stated, “Our effort is to prevent water from being wasted and to ensure it reaches the Iranian side properly.” His remarks came amid ongoing discussions between Afghanistan and Iran regarding water rights and the management of shared resources.
Addressing the forum, which gathered senior officials from both countries and the wider region, Muttaqi highlighted the $3 billion trade volume between Afghanistan and Iran. He noted that over the past four years, the Taliban has pursued positive relations with neighbouring, regional, and international partners under what he termed a “balanced foreign policy.”
Touching on the recurring tensions between Kabul and Tehran over water rights, Muttaqi called drought a shared challenge and reiterated the Taliban’s intention to ensure a fair and consistent flow of water to Iran. “This is our religious and Islamic duty to assist,” he added. “We view this act as both virtuous and politically constructive. To the people of Iran who hear my voice, rest assured, we have no ill intentions in this matter.”
Muttaqi further stressed the Taliban’s foreign policy priorities, describing their approach as “balanced and economy-focused,” with special emphasis on neighbouring states.
He also pointed to what he characterised as the Taliban’s success in establishing stability, following years of failed governance experiments and externally imposed solutions. According to Muttaqi, Taliban officials are now working to address citizens’ needs across all 34 Afghan provinces.
