Afghan, Iranian FMs talk water tiff, border security

ATLANTA (Pajhwok): Foreign ministers of Afghanistan and Iran have discussed the Helmand River water dispute and border security issues.

Hafiz Zia Ahmad, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), tweeted that the foreign ministers conferred on matters of mutual interest, especially the issue of Helmand River water rights.

Amir Khan Muttaqi, the acting foreign minister, expressed his pleasure over the successful trip of an Afghan delegation, headed by Minister of Commerce and Industry Nooruddin Azizi, to Iran.

The spokesman wrote Muttaqi emphasised on the early implementation of the Herat-Khaf railway project.

According to Zia, Muttaqi also raised border security-related issues with his Iranian counterpart. The minister called for joint efforts in this regard.

The acting foreign minister pointed to prolonged droughts and water shortages in Afghanistan. However, he explained, the agreement between the two countries must be enforced.

Amir Hussain Abdollahian, the foreign minister of Iran, responded his country was pursuing its share in water from Helmand River.

In Tehran, the Foreign Ministry quoted Abdollahian as saying: “Releasing the water from Afghanistan and legalising its right is a serious demand of Iran and this issue can affect bilateral relations.”

The ministry added: “The non-enforcement of Iran’s right to the water share has caused drought in the Sistan and Baluchistan region of Iran.

“The foreign minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran hope the Afghan side would take necessary measures to release water to the Sistan region.”

According to the BBC, Iranian ministry also cited violence and clashes between border guards of the two countries. Such incidents had a negative impact on the relations between the two sides, it added.

Iranian and Afghan security forces clashed in a border area last Sunday, according to med reports, which spoke of at least one fatality.

The Helmand Water Treaty was signed in 1973 between ex-Afghan prime minister Mohammad Musa Shafiq and his Iranian counterpart Amir Abbas Hoveyda.

Under the agreement, 820 million cubic meters of water will be released into Iran in case of water availability Afghanistan,

The Iranian embassy in Kabul said: “The reality is that last year, contrary to this agreement, the water released to our side was no more than 27 million cubic meters … there is a big gap between what we got and what this country has committed.”

On the other hand, Ministry of Water and Energy spokesman Matiullah Abid told TOLOnews that Afghanistan remained committed to the water agreement with Iran.

He added under the agreement, Afghanistan released water from Helmand River to Iran. “We are committed to giving Iran its water rights in accordance with that agreement.”

aw/mud

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