Rights Groups Urge Netherlands To End Afghan Envoy’s Mission Over Taliban Ties

Isa Bozorgzadeh, spokesperson for Iran’s water industry, said in a press conference that the Taliban had not upheld the terms of the 1973 Helmand River Treaty and had delivered only a small volume of water to Iran.

“According to the 1973 treaty, Afghanistan is obligated to deliver a specified share of Helmand River water to Iran. However, since the beginning of the current water year, only about 119 million cubic metres of water have entered the country, a figure significantly below expectations,” Bozorgzadeh said.

He noted that although a recent meeting between commissioners from both countries had taken place and diplomatic channels remained open, no “concrete outcome” had yet been reached.

Emphasising Iran’s commitment to international agreements, Bozorgzadeh acknowledged the severity of the regional drought but said water flow to Iran should still be higher than it currently is. He warned that eastern Iran particularly the Sistan and Baluchestan province is facing a worsening water crisis.

“Iran expects its neighbours to fulfil their obligations within the framework of regional norms and international law,” he added.

The Taliban, however, maintains that it is complying with the treaty. Speaking during a recent visit to Iran, Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said his government was committed to honouring the water-sharing agreement, despite the drought that has gripped much of Afghanistan.

“Delivering water to Iran is a religious and Islamic responsibility,” Muttaqi said. “Our goal is to prevent water wastage and ensure it reaches Iran properly. This is a virtuous act and a positive political step.”

He stressed that water shortages were not isolated to Iran, but also impacted Afghan provinces such as Nimruz, Helmand, Farah and Baluchistan. Muttaqi claimed that in the absence of drought, water would flow naturally into Iran, as it had over the past month.

The dispute over Helmand River water rights has long strained relations between Tehran and Kabul. Some Iranian officials have accused the Taliban of deliberately restricting water flow to Iran by constructing dams and diverting the river.

Muttaqi did not directly address those accusations but reiterated that Afghanistan’s intent was to use water efficiently and minimise waste.

The Helmand River Treaty was signed in 1973 between Mohammad Musa Shafiq, then Prime Minister of Afghanistan, and Amir-Abbas Hoveyda, then Prime Minister of Iran, under the Afghan monarchy. Despite political changes in both countries since then, the agreement remains in force though implementation remains a source of contention.

In an interview with Ariana News, Mujahid stated that while the cabinet remains temporary, all ministers and department heads have been granted full powers by the group’s leadership.

“The Taliban leadership has granted full authority and powers to the ministers and heads of departments, which are exercised within the framework of the institutions,” he said. “Being in an acting position does not mean their powers are limited.”

Since seizing power in August 2021, the Taliban have maintained that their cabinet is provisional and that a permanent government would be formed after further evaluation. Nearly four years later, however, all key posts remain filled on an acting basis, with no clear timeline for formal appointments.

Mujahid described the arrangement as being in the interest of both the regime and the Afghan people, though he declined to elaborate on the specific political factors preventing permanent appointments.

Observers note that such prolonged rule by acting officials is highly unusual in modern governance. No internationally recognised government has continued in this manner for such an extended period, raising concerns about the Taliban’s political intentions and internal cohesion.

Citing Afghanistan’s history of conflict, he warned that a return to “violent methods of the past and renewed reliance on foreigners” would plunge the country back into previous crises.

Hekmatyar stressed the damaging effects of foreign intervention, the need for national consensus and the importance of sincere engagement among political actors to achieve sustainable peace.

He emphasised that political power should be transferred peacefully through the people’s vote and collective will, adding that no individual or group should seize authority through force, coups or foreign backing.

“It is the religious and human right of the nation to entrust divine leadership to someone worthy of the responsibility,” Hekmatyar wrote. “We will only accept a leader, and refrain from opposing him, if the majority of people recognise him as such.”

He called for the establishment of an Islamic system in Afghanistan, rooted in religious principles. He also criticised recent remarks by some former Afghan leaders and urged the rejection of violent tactics.

He condemned what he described as “the absolute despotism of a tribe, family or individual,” and, reflecting on Afghanistan’s history of coup-driven regimes, said that preventing future disasters would require resisting threats and ending violence.

Those in or vying for power, he said, must avoid “bloody and inhumane” means of attaining or holding authority.

Hekmatyar also called for the creation of a council that genuinely represents the people, asserting that Afghans must have a direct and decisive role in key national issues including domestic policy, foreign relations, war and peace.

He argued that no government should unilaterally decide such matters and noted the current absence of a constitution. A proper constitution, he said, should clearly define the country’s political and social system, as well as the rights and powers of its institutions.

“The only legitimate body to draft and approve such a constitution,” he wrote, “is a council elected by the people, one that represents national consensus and the collective will of the nation.”

Mutawakil previously served as head of ideological affairs at the Taliban’s Ministry of Defence.

According to reports, the legal and diplomatic procedures for Mutawakil’s formal entry into Mashhad are under way, and he is expected to officially assume his duties as the Taliban’s new consul general in the city.

Tasnim News Agency reported on Monday that Anwar Ahmad Nabil will serve as acting head of the Taliban’s consulate in Mashhad until Mutawakil officially begins his role.

Faizanullah Naseri, the former Taliban consul general in Mashhad, passed away in May due to a heart condition.

According to Habib, 280 of the active organisations are international.

Speaking in an interview with Taliban-controlled Radio Television Afghanistan (RTA), Habib said these organisations operate in all 34 provinces of Afghanistan, working in sectors including healthcare, education, social services and economic development.

The Taliban’s announcement comes despite earlier reports suggesting a growing crackdown on foreign organisations. In December last year, sources told Afghanistan International that Taliban leader Mullah Hibatullah, during a meeting in Kandahar, labelled foreign organisations in Afghanistan as “spies” and called for their closure.

Although that directive has not yet been fully implemented, hundreds of domestic and international organisations have ceased operations since the Taliban returned to power, citing funding cuts and restrictions imposed by the group.

In January, a deputy from the Taliban’s Ministry of Economy said that following the suspension of US aid to Afghanistan, the activities of at least 50 international aid organisations across 28 provinces had ended.

The Taliban has also imposed a range of restrictions on the operations of both domestic and international organisations, repeatedly ordering them to align their activities with the group’s directives.

There have been numerous reports of Taliban interference in the work of these organisations, allegations the group denies.

The increasing restrictions have forced some organisations to suspend or shut down their operations entirely.