Iran Conditions Economic Cooperation with Taliban on Helmand Water Rights
As Nooruddin Azizi, the Taliban’s Minister of Industry and Trade, visits Iran for economic talks, an Iranian lawmaker has conditioned any border and transit cooperation on the Taliban fulfilling Iran’s water rights from the Helmand River.
Farhad Shahraki, a representative from Sistan province, wrote on the social media platform X that the continuation and sustainability of trade and development relations with Afghanistan depend on the full implementation of Iran’s legal rights to water from the Helmand River. According to him, this issue forms the basis of any bilateral economic and transit cooperation.
Iran has for years faced a severe drought and declining water resources. In recent years, it has repeatedly urged the Taliban administration to honor its commitments on the sharing of Helmand River water. Recently, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister also requested the release of stored water from Salma Dam in Herat province to Iranian territory during a meeting with a senior Taliban official.
The Taliban trade minister’s visit to Iran comes just days after Pakistan imposed new transit restrictions on Afghanistan. In response, Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban’s deputy economic chief, has been tasked with exploring alternative trade routes, particularly via Iran’s ports.
While the Taliban seek to establish new trade relations—especially with Iran—Afghan authorities’ failure to fulfill their water-sharing commitments has sparked criticism and skepticism among Iranian officials.
