Iran Steps Up Pressure On Taliban Over Helmand River Water Rights
Iran has accused the Taliban of failing to honour a key water treaty and vowed to intensify pressure on the group to secure its share of the Helmand River.
Iran has accused the Taliban of failing to honour a key water treaty and vowed to intensify pressure on the group to secure its share of the Helmand River.
Mohammad Javanbakht, Iran’s deputy energy minister for water affairs, told state-run Tasnim News Agency that this year’s drought and low rainfall had worsened shortages in Iran. He said that under the 1973 Helmand River treaty, Afghanistan is obliged to provide Iran with 820 million cubic metres of water annually.
“Only about 100 million cubic metres of water reached the Chah Nimeh reservoirs this year,” Javanbakht said, describing the shortfall as a serious breach of the agreement. He added that Tehran would now pursue its water rights “more firmly and decisively.”
Iran’s foreign minister has also cited Afghanistan’s failure to meet water commitments as a major challenge in bilateral relations.
Some Iranian officials allege the Taliban have deliberately diverted water into salt marshes to prevent flows into Iran. The Taliban reject the claim, blaming regional drought, but insist they remain committed to the treaty.
During a recent visit to Iran, Taliban foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said providing water for residents of Iran’s Sistan and Baluchestan province was both a humanitarian responsibility and an Islamic duty.
