Taliban agrees to release Iran’s Helmand water rights: Official

KABUL (Khaama Press): During the economic delegation’s visit of the Taliban to Iran, for the first time, the Taliban agreed to release Iran’s water rights from the Helmand River, according to the head of Iran’s Environmental Protection Organization, as reported by IRNA. According to IRNA, a state media outlet, Ali Salajegheh stated on Wednesday on the sidelines of the government meeting and in the presence of reporters: “During the economic delegation’s trip of the Taliban to Iran, for the first time, the Taliban agreed to release Iran’s water rights.” Meanwhile, as of now, Taliban officials have not yet issued any comments or statements regarding the reported agreement concerning Iran’s water rights from the Helmand River. Earlier, an Iranian official disclosed that during a meeting between Iran’s Head of the Department of Environment and the Taliban’s Deputy Prime Minister, a verbal agreement was reached regarding Iran’s water rights from the Helmand River. Ali Mohammad Tahmasebi, the advisor to the Department of Environment, shared that Mullah Baradar, the Taliban’s Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, committed to granting these water rights once the conditions become favourable. Baradar’s visit to Tehran occurred from November 4 to November 9, during which he held discussions with several Iranian officials, including the head of Iran’s Department of Environment. Ali Salajegheh continued the Taliban raised the issue of water scarcity and mentioned that this could happen if there is enough rainfall climatically. Salajegheh stated, in the meeting with the Taliban, that we raised the issue of humidification considering the necessity of work and the fact that for about 180 days, people in the Zabul region have been facing dust and sand problems. We asked them to release water temporarily so there wouldn’t be a source of dust and sand. He added that the Taliban economic delegation also announced that if the situation of water resources in the dams permits, they would do this. Another issue discussed was stabilising dust and sand collection centres in Afghanistan. The Afghan delegation, especially the environmental officials, promised to come to the Islamic Republic of Iran at the earliest opportunity and discuss these issues comprehensively in a meeting so that we can provide a solution to the source of dust and sand in Afghanistan, especially in areas that affect the Islamic Republic of Iran, Salajegheh said. However, Iranian officials also pointed out a lingering disagreement between Iran and the Taliban regarding allocating Iran’s water rights, specifically the distribution of the designated 820 million cubic meters. The Iranian official referenced the 1973 Iran-Afghanistan treaty and stressed the necessity of resolving these differences by establishing a joint expert working group, seeking a diplomatic and collaborative approach to address this longstanding issue.