Iranian minister calls for creating joint commission between Iran, Afghanistan to resolve water dispute

Kabul [Afghanistan], June 27 (ANI): Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi has proposed creating a joint commission between Iran and Afghanistan to address the dispute over water rights between the two nations by carefully observing water levels in the Helmand River in Afghanistan, Afghanistan-based Khaama Press reported.

Ahmad Vahidi has said that the purpose of the joint team will be to determine Iran’s rights and to verify the Taliban’s claims regarding water shortage. He said, “The establishment of a joint committee to evaluate one of the dams named in the treaty was the key matter,” according to Khaama Press report.

Earlier, the Taliban claimed that there was not enough water in the Kajaki Dam in Afghanistan due to drought in the country and added that even if it had water, it would not reach Iran, as per the Khaama Press report.

Earlier, Iran had accused the Taliban of breaking the 1973 water pact by stopping water flow to Sistan and Baluchistan provinces which share a border with southern Afghanistan. However, Kabul has denied the allegations made by Iran, the report said.

The development has resulted in a deterioration in the ties between the Taliban and Iran. Iran must annually receive 850 million cubic metres of water from the Helmand River of Afghanistan in accordance with the 1973 agreement.

Earlier this month, Iran’s Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi has asked the Taliban authorities to advise their security forces to maintain peace and security and avoid further border conflicts, Khaama Press reported.

Iranian Minister said that peace and security had been restored in the area following the recent incidents that occurred along the Iran-Afghanistan border, according to Tasnim News. Vahidi blamed the Taliban forces for last week’s border clashes and claimed that the Iranian forces responded to them.

“The Afghans had begun shooting at the common border, and the Iranian forces naturally responded to the shots properly,” he said, as per Khaama Press.

“We currently have direct interaction with Afghan rulers, and all misunderstandings and problems should be settled through dialogue and negotiation,” the Interior Minister said. As per Iranian officials, during the border clashes with the Taliban that broke out last week, one Iranian border guard was killed, and two others were injured.

Meanwhile, the Afghan security forces claimed that one Taliban security force and two Iranian border guards were killed, and several others were injured during the skirmishes. The incident occurred at the border crossing point between the southeastern province of Sistan and Balochistan and the Nimruz province of Afghanistan in areas around Sasouli, Hatam and Makaki villages.