Iran’s president has instructed officials to intensify efforts to secure the country’s water rights from Afghanistan, Iran’s energy minister said, amid ongoing negotiations with the Taliban authorities.
Abbas Aliabadi, Iran’s minister of energy, told the ILNA news agency that the directive was issued a day earlier, adding that Iran has so far failed to receive its full water entitlement. “We held many negotiations with the Afghan side, but last year we were unable to receive our full water share,” he said.
Aliabadi said both Iran and Turkmenistan are entitled to water from the Helmand River, but noted that Afghanistan, as the upstream country, has constructed the Salma Dam, making negotiations essential to ensure water flows to the Doosti Dam.
Speaking on Tuesday, Aliabadi said he was cautiously optimistic that Iran would receive its water share this year due to improved rainfall. He added that talks with the Taliban were continuing.
Aliabadi said he has invited Afghan representatives to visit Iran on two occasions and plans to issue a third invitation. He also said an Iranian delegation would travel to Afghanistan at a later stage to pursue the issue directly and with greater urgency.
Disputes over water rights, particularly those linked to the Helmand River, have long been a source of tension between Tehran and Kabul, and have gained renewed attention since the Taliban’s return to power.
