After the rise in tensions over Iran’s water rights from the Helmand River in recent days, Tehran has now said that Taliban-ruled Afghanistan should clarify the issue of Iran’s water rights within a month. According to a report by Tolo News on Saturday (May 20), Hassan Kazemi Qomi, Iran’s ambassador to Afghanistan, told Iranian media that if the Taliban want Kabul to move towards peace and stability, it should have constructive interaction with its neighbours.
“If there was water and the Taliban did not provide it to the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, then it is clear how it should act on this issue, which is one of the basic rights of the Iranian nation, and it should happen during this one month,” Qomi said and asked Afghanistan to take practical steps in this regard.
“Taliban officials know that they must engage in constructive interaction with their neighbours if they want to have a strong, stable government in their country that includes all of the people’s representatives and the country moves towards peace, stability, independence, territorial integrity, and prosperity,” the ambassador added.
Officials from Iran have always stressed the significance of the implementation of the 1973 Helmand River treaty between Iran and Afghanistan. As per the treaty, Afghanistan is committed to sharing water from the river at the rate of 26 cubic metres of water per second, or 850 million cubic metres per annum.
The right to water from the river recently became a controversial issue between the two countries.
Before Ambassador Qomi, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi had said the Taliban should ensure that Tehran’s water rights of the river were based on international treaties. On Thursday, President Raisi said that the Taliban should immediately provide Iran with its share of water.
“We will not allow the rights of our people to be violated,” he added. The president also urged the Taliban to allow Iranian hydrologists to check the water levels of the river.
Source: wionews