Minister: Iran must enjoy its share of Hirmand River water

Iran’s minister of energy has said the country must enjoy its right to the water of Hirmand River on the border with Afghanistan.

Ali Akbar Mehrabian was speaking during a meeting with the Taliban’s deputy prime minister in Tehran.

He said during his recent visit to Afghanistan, he had good talks at the residence of the Afghan official, which were encouraging.

“Your leadership also stressed that the water right issue must be resolved,” Mehrabian told the Afghan official.

The Iranian minister of energy also said at that time, Afghanistan said the water belonging to Iran would not be allowed to be diverted to another place inside Afghanistan named Goad Zereh, and that later it came to light that within 2 years, 2 billion cubic meters of the Hirmand water was wasted.

Mehrabian added that the resolving of the water right issue will be a win-win situation for both sides.

Afghan Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Baradar acknowledged that the water belonging to Iran should not have been diverted to Goad Zereh. He noted that the Afghan leadership is sorry for the waste of the water, saying this water must go to Iran.

Iran and Afghanistan signed a deal in 1973 over the Hirmand River water right belonging to Iran.

Since their takeover of Afghanistan over two years ago, the Taliban officials have ignored calls for Kabul to respect Iran’s right to the water of the border river.

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