FM: Iran won’t give up even a drop of water rights

Hossein Amirabdollahian made the remark while briefing the Iranian Parliament’s Agriculture Committee on efforts by the administration of President Ebrahim Raisi in economic diplomacy, export of agricultural products, and environmental issues, including the dust storms, since coming to power in August last year.

Amirabdollahian said, “We will not give up even a drop of the Iranian nation’s historical share of its water rights.”

The Iranian foreign minister said Iran and Turkey have established a joint committee to sort out differences over their share of Aras River in northwestern Iran that runs from eastern Turkey.

Construction of dams by neighboring countries has heavily restricted the flow of water to Iran.

To the southeast, Iran has been trying to persuade the Taliban officials to open the gates of Kamal Khan Dam in the Hirmand River, known as the Helmand River in Afghanistan, and release the flow of water to drought-hit Hamoun Lake in Iran.

Hamoun is the largest freshwater lake in Iran, directly linked to the biodiversity in Sistan and Baluchestan Province and the people’s livelihood in the region.