Amirabdollahian Presses Taliban To Supply Iran’s Water Share

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian called on the Taliban to allow Iran to have its share of water from the Hirmand River. 

In a telephone conversation with the acting head of Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry Amir Khan Muttaqi on Wednesday, Amirabdollahian said the Taliban government is seriously expected to allow water from the Hirmand River, known as Helmand River in Afghanistan, to flow into Iran and provide the Islamic Republic’s share of water in practice.

The Iranian foreign minister warned that Afghanistan’s failure to do so will affect the bilateral relations.

Pointing to the numerous problems caused by lack of Iran’s access to its share of water and the consequent impacts of drought on the people of Iran’s southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan, Amirabdollahian expressed hope that the Taliban would take the necessary measures to release water behind a dam in Afghanistan and let the water flow toward the Iranian province.

He also urged Afghanistan to adhere to the terms of the 1973 water treaty between the two sides, calling on the Taliban to allow a joint technical committee to observe the reserve of water behind the Kajakai Dam in southern Afghanistan.

Amirabdollahian then warned against the hostile attempts at harming the relations between Tehran and Kabul, deplored a series of border disputes, reminded the Taliban of its duty to prevent the recurrence of border clashes, and added, “Commitment to the security of common border is our red line.”

For his part, Muttaqi said Afghanistan grapples with drought and technical issues, pledging that the Taliban will try to address the problems concerning water and border issues.

The top Iranian diplomat and Muttaqi also talked about the joint projects on electricity and railroad, as well as border trade.

Iran and Afghanistan have been locked in a protracted dispute over water of the Hirmand River, which originates in the Hindu Kush Mountains near Kabul and flows 700 miles (1,126 kilometers) south before flowing into Hamoun wetlands, located in Iran’s Sistan and Baluchestan.

The two countries signed a water-sharing accord on the Hirmand River in 1973, under which Afghanistan pledged to deliver an average of 820 million cubic meters of water per annum to Iran.

Iran has repeatedly criticized Afghanistan for failing to honor the agreement in letter and spirit.