Top Iranian official to visit Afghanistan over water issue

KABUL (Agencies): Ali Salajegheh, Iran’s vice president and head of the environment agency, will visit Afghanistan in the next couple of weeks to follow up on the issue of water rights.
In an interview, Salajegheh said that Iran is in talks with Afghanistan’s rulers over its water rights from the Helmand River.
Iran and Afghanistan signed the Helmand River water-sharing agreement in 1973, under which Afghanistan agreed to provide Iran with 22 cubic meters of water per second with the option to purchase an additional four cubic meters per second for “goodwill and brotherly relations.”
Iran has strongly opposed Afghanistan’s damming of its transboundary rivers and has accused Kabul of denying it of its water rights.
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) is adamant that they are committed to Iran’s water rights according to the 1973 treaty.
Recently, Kazemi Qomi, Iran’s special envoy for Afghanistan said that based on the actions that have been taken, water will be released in Helmand this year.
According to him, the dam was built in Afghanistan during the American occupation, which caused water diversion.
He said that one of the main criteria for the engagement of Iran with the IEA in supporting the people depends on their adherence to the treaty.