Kabul, Tehran talk cooperation on water projects

KABUL (Pajhwok): Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and Iran’s deputy energy minister have discussed bilateral ties, Helmand River water sharing and cooperation on water projects.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said Muttaqi met with an Iranian delegation, headed by Deputy Minister of Energy Sardar Mohammad Javanbakht.

The visiting delegation confirmed that much of Helmand River water was allowed to flow into Iran in 2023-2024. The delegates hoped for more water flows into that country until the end of the current year.

Muttaqi hailed relations between the two countries as friendly, promising that plenty of water would be allowed to flow into Iran in case of abundant availability in Helmand River.

Muttaqi noted the Kajaki dam, built about 70 years ago, had lost about half of its water storage capacity due to sedimentation over the past 45 year due to negligence by successive governments. He urged the Iranian side to consider the fact.

He added as a matter of policy, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) was trying to prevent water wastage. Helmand River water also flowed into Nimroz and Iran’s Sistan province, he explained.

aw/mud