“It is our Islamic obligation to help any Muslim suffering from thirst,” he declared during a panel at the Tehran Dialogue Forum on Sunday.
“The Iranian people should rest assured—we have no bad intentions, and we see it as our duty to deliver water to the thirsty.”
Responding to questions on Afghanistan’s adherence to the 1973 Helmand River Treaty, Muttaqi affirmed: “Even if the agreement didn’t exist, we would still act on our duty.”
He said the Taliban had reiterated this position during earlier talks with Iranian envoys, including during Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s visit to Kabul.
Muttaqi acknowledged the severe drought impacting both sides of the border, noting that similar conditions persist in Afghanistan’s Nimruz and Helmand provinces.
His remarks come amid long-standing Iranian accusations that Kabul has restricted the flow of the Helmand River, in violation of the treaty.
The Helmand dispute has been a recurring source of tension, particularly after Afghanistan completed infrastructure projects that Tehran says limit its water share. While the Taliban has made verbal commitments to honoring the treaty, Iran has repeatedly called for concrete mechanisms such as joint technical inspections.
