Senior Iranian Diplomat Visits Kabul for Talks on Water Disputes and Border Issues

Kazem Gharibabadi, Deputy Minister for Legal and International Affairs at Iran’s Foreign Ministry, arrived in Kabul on Saturday, October 26, as part of Tehran’s regional policy to hold discussions with Taliban officials. His visit aims to address several sensitive matters, including border cooperation, shared water resources, and judicial affairs.

The timing of Gharibabadi’s trip comes amid longstanding tensions between Iran and Afghanistan over Helmand River water rights, the management of shared borders, and the situation of Afghan nationals residing in Iran—issues that have repeatedly raised serious concerns in recent years.

While the Islamic Republic of Iran frames the visit within its “neighborhood policy,” it remains unclear whether these negotiations will lead to tangible improvements in the rights of Afghan citizens in Iran or advance Afghanistan’s interests regarding water and border matters.

Political observers in Kabul have expressed apprehension about the visit, noting that the Taliban’s lack of international legitimacy and centralized decision-making by a small group could undermine meaningful representation of the Afghan people’s rights in such talks.