Iran and Taliban Officials Hold Talks in Kabul Over Helmand Water Rights
As tensions and uncertainties persist over transboundary water resources, Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs, met in Kabul with Mujib ur-Rahman Akhundzada, Deputy Minister of Water and Energy and Helmand Water Commissioner representing the Taliban administration.
According to a statement by the Iranian Embassy in Kabul, the talks covered key issues including Iran’s water rights from the Helmand River, the legal regime of the Harirud River, the internationally significant Hamoun wetlands, and the organization of technical and legal meetings between the two sides.
The embassy also announced that the 30th meeting of the Helmand Water Commissioners will soon be held in Tehran to further pursue and assess Iran’s practical access to its allocated share of Helmand River water.
The Taliban administration’s use of water resources and its interactions with neighboring countries, particularly Iran, have long been subject to domestic and international criticism. A lack of transparency, absence of scientific water resource management, and disregard for historical treaties have raised concerns about the environmental and humanitarian consequences across the region.
