Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian declared that Iran is prepared to utilize “pressure as a tool,” if necessary, to ensure the interim Taliban rulers in Afghanistan grant Iran its rightful access to water from the Hirmand River.
The statement emerged during Amirabdollahian’s visit to Iran’s southeastern border province of Sistan and Baluchestan on Thursday, where he is slated to investigate the longstanding dispute over Iran’s water rights with Afghanistan.
Amirabdollahian emphasized the “natural right” of Iran’s Sistan and Baluchestan population to benefit from the water flowing into the country from Afghanistan, as stipulated by the 1973 treaty between Iran and Afghanistan. He asserted that Tehran would “pursue this with seriousness,” adding that, if necessary, “pressure tools will be used against that part of Afghanistan’s ruling body that refuses to go along with the granting of water rights to Iran.”
Taliban officials have recently contended that low water levels would prevent any water from reaching Iran, even if the dam were opened. In response, Amirabdollahian dismissed such claims as mere political rhetoric, instead advocating for the creation of an expert team to investigate the issue.
The Iranian Space Agency has reported that satellite imagery reveals the Afghan government’s actions to impede water flow to the Iranian side of the border by constructing numerous dams and diverting water. The agency has offered to submit the images, captured by the Iranian-made Khayyam satellite, to the Foreign Ministry.
Earlier in the day, President Ebrahim Raisi, visiting Sistan and Baluchestan, issued a warning to the Taliban, urging them to cease obstructing Iranians’ access to their share of water.
