After tensions, Taliban affirms commitment to Hirmand treaty

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
3 Jun 2023 09:22

In his latest appearance, the Taliban Minister of Energy and Water of Taliban urges dialogue to address the dispute with Iran over the water rights from the Hirmand River.

An aerial view from a medevac helicopter shows the Helmand river on November 8, 2011 (AFP)

The Taliban Minister of Energy and Water of Taliban, Abdul Latif Mansur, highlighted the need for talks to address the dispute with Iran over the water rights from the Hirmand River, which rises from the Hindu Kush Mountains and flows down to the Hamous wetlands located in Iran's Sistan and Baluchestan Province.

He also reaffirmed the Afghan commitment to Hirmand treaty during an interview for TOLO news.

“We have cleared the stance of the ministry in this regard. We are committed to the standing treaty. Whenever there is a drought or there is any challenge, there should be a reference to the agreement in which all of the points have been addressed… the condition of droughts and normal conditions are clearly mentioned,” Mansur said.

Mansur also hailed the mutual religious and cultural ties between the two countries, adding, "Many of our refugees are there, so we respect all these issues and do not want a technical issue to become politicized and for there, the negative propaganda between the two countries to rise.”

The remarks came in light of the fire-exchange skirmish that took place on May 28 at the Afghan-Iranian borders, where a water dispute has been ongoing for several months between the two parties.

It is worth noting that Iran and Afghanistan signed a treaty to regulate each party's use of the river in 1973.

As per the treatment, Iran is to receive an annual share of 820 million cubic meters from Hirmand. Afghanistan's violation of this clause has exposed the lives of several Iranians to the risk of drought as civilians rely heavily on the river for drinking water, agriculture, and fishing.

The construction of many hydroelectric projects on the river, including the important Kamal Khan Dam in Afghanistan's Nimrouz province and the Kajaki Dam 160 km northwest of Kandahar province during the reign of US-backed former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, has caused a major rift between the neighboring countries.