Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs, arrived in Kabul on Sunday for talks with Taliban officials, the Iranian embassy in Kabul announced on X.
According to the embassy, Gharibabadi’s visit will focus on border cooperation, judicial matters, and water-related issues, as tensions between the two neighbours persist over the Helmand River dispute.
In recent years, Iran has repeatedly accused the Taliban of violating the 1973 Helmand River Treaty, alleging that Afghanistan has reduced Iran’s allocated share of water from the Helmand (Hirmand) River, a key source of irrigation for Iran’s Sistan and Baluchestan province.
Taliban officials have rejected the accusations, arguing that reduced rainfall and drought in Afghanistan have limited water flow to Iran. They maintain that no political restrictions have been imposed on Iran’s water share and that the flow depends on natural climatic conditions.
The visit comes amid broader efforts by Tehran and the Taliban to maintain dialogue despite periodic tensions over border security, trade, and water management. Iran remains one of the few countries to keep its embassy in Kabul operational since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.
