Latest News
Iran will use ‘all means’ to restore water rights from Afghanistan
Iran’s foreign ministry said on Monday Tehran will use all means to restore its water rights from Afghanistan and that the Islamic Emirate should take the issue seriously.
Ismail Baqaei, the spokesman for the foreign ministry, said in response to a question at a press conference on the construction of water dams in Afghanistan, that Tehran has been following the issue closely for some time now and has lodged objections to the issue of dams being built in Afghanistan, IRNA news agency reported.
“It is clear that the waters that have flowed from Afghanistan to Iran for thousands or millions of years create rights for parties on both sides of the border,” Baqaei said, adding that there is a specific agreement in this regard.
“We will use all means to restore rights in this regard,” he added.
The official also said that Iran’s acting ambassador in Kabul is following up on the issue of water rights.
The issue of water rights has been a source of tension between Afghanistan and Iran over the past few years.
Recently, Fida Hossein Maliki, a member of Iran’s parliament, expressed concern about the construction of water dams in Afghanistan and said that this issue is questionable.
He said that the current rulers of Afghanistan are treating neighboring countries, including Iran, in a way that has not been seen in the past.
The Islamic Emirate has repeatedly emphasized that it is committed to ensuring Iran’s rights in accordance with the 1973 treaty, but Iran must also consider that the country is dealing with a drought.
Baqaei’s comments on Monday, follow close on the heels of his remarks Friday when he underscored the critical need for cooperation between Iran and Afghanistan to maintain the natural flow of water in shared border rivers.
He also noted Iran’s long-standing role in hosting millions of Afghan nationals over the past five decades. These enduring ties, he said, underscore the importance of mutual respect and collaboration in addressing shared challenges.
On Friday, Baqaei called on Afghanistan to respect these rights and cooperate in ensuring the continued flow of water.
“The principle of good neighborliness should guide our efforts,” Baqaei stated, adding that equitable use of shared water resources is essential for the well-being of both nations.
Recently, Afghanistan’s rulers announced they had begun filling the Pashdan Dam, located near Herat on the Harirud River.
The development adds to long-standing disputes over the Helmand River, which dates back to the 19th century.
Although a 1939 treaty was drafted to address water sharing, it was never ratified by Afghanistan, leading to protracted disputes.
In 1973, the two nations agreed that Afghanistan would allow a flow of 26 cubic meters per second—equivalent to 820 million cubic meters annually—into Iran.
Latest News
Afghanistan says Pakistani military post destroyed near Spin Boldak
Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defense says a Pakistani military post near Spin Boldak was targeted and destroyed after Pakistani forces opened fire toward Afghanistan.
Ministry spokesperson Enayatullah Khwarazmi said in a post on X that Afghan forces suffered no casualties or damage in the clash.
Khwarazmi also rejected claims made by the Pakistani side about the incident, describing them as “propaganda.”
Latest News
Mujahid: Pakistan attacking Afghanistan to evade Mecca Pact responsibilities
He warned that the Islamic Emirate would give an “appropriate response” to what he called the Pakistani military regime’s “bullying.”
Islamic Emirate spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid has accused Pakistan of carrying out attacks on Afghanistan to divert attention from its domestic problems and to evade responsibilities under the “Mecca Pact.”
Speaking at a religious seminary in Kandahar, Mujahid said Pakistan was facing political and economic challenges at home and was using attacks on Afghanistan to shift public attention away from protests and its internal problems.
“Pakistan, by violating the territory of its neighboring Islamic country, wants to divert attention from its failures,” he said.
Mujahid also criticized Pakistan’s political situation, claiming that political space had been restricted and that freedoms guaranteed under the country’s laws were not being allowed.
He said Pakistan’s economic problems had also increased significantly and accused the country of seeking to distract the public from those problems by engaging in conflict with Afghanistan.
Mujahid further accused Pakistan’s military leadership of putting the Pakistani people at risk through what he described as its “false position.”
He warned that the Islamic Emirate would give an “appropriate response” to what he called the Pakistani military regime’s “bullying.”
His remarks followed Pakistani airstrikes on Kandahar, Paktia and Khost provinces on Thursday, which Afghan authorities said killed four civilians.
The strikes came three days after attacks on Kunar and Paktika provinces, in which Afghan authorities said three civilians were killed.
Latest News
Kabul rejects U.S. claim that meth seized in Pakistan was of Afghan origin
Balkhi said the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has imposed an absolute ban on the production, trafficking and use of all types of narcotics in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi has rejected a U.S. claim that 463 kilograms of synthetic drugs seized in Pakistan were of Afghan origin, calling the attribution “unfounded and politically motivated.”
Balkhi said the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad should investigate the origin of the seized drugs in Pakistan rather than attributing them to Afghanistan.
“The attribution by the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad of the synthetic drugs bound for Sri Lanka and intercepted in Pakistan through joint U.S.-Pakistani efforts as ‘Afghan-origin’ is an unfounded and politically motivated allegation,” Balkhi said.
He said the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has imposed an absolute ban on the production, trafficking and use of all types of narcotics in Afghanistan.
Balkhi also claimed that following the ban in Afghanistan, the cultivation, production and trafficking of narcotics have increased “on the other side of the Durand Line.”
He further argued that Afghanistan does not have the capacity to produce synthetic drugs and said crossing points along the Durand Line have been completely closed to all movement for nearly a year.
His remarks came after the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad said U.S. and Pakistani anti-narcotics authorities had seized 463 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine worth an estimated $21 million and bound for Sri Lanka.
The embassy said the operation led to multiple arrests and highlighted ongoing U.S. cooperation and training with Pakistani authorities to disrupt international drug-trafficking networks.
-
Sport4 days agoAfghanistan to face Japan and Nepal in Asian Games cricket group stage
-
Regional5 days agoIran and US trade threats after Houthi attacks escalate regional conflict
-
World4 days agoCNN, MS NOW and Politico sue Trump, challenging White House ban
-
Health5 days agoFour-day polio vaccination campaign begins across Afghanistan
-
Latest News4 days agoUN reiterates call for respect for international law after Kunar airstrikes
-
Latest News4 days agoKhalilzad condemns Pakistan airstrikes, says current strategy is not working
-
Latest News2 days agoAriana Afghan Airlines ranks seventh among 45 Central Asian airlines
-
Latest News4 days agoAfghan Official: Pakistan’s airstrikes will not go unanswered
